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SHORT ACCOUNT 



OF THE 



LIFE AND WRITINGS 



OF 




ROBERT BARCLAY. 



U.l 



l^L. eyo-o/vJ* 1 



PHILADELPHIA: <Z> 

PRINTED AND SOLD BY BENJAMIN JOHNSON, 
NO. 31, MARKET-STREET. 



1805, 






A 



6 



»*;>* 



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INTRODUCTION. 



THOUGH the memory of Robert 
Barclay is not likely to perish, it seems 
desirable to add one more memorial of 
him to those already existing: chiefly for 
the purpose of bringing his life and la- 
bours into a narrow point of view ; and 
of furnishing many of his numerous des- 
cendants, whose usual avocations do not 
lead them to the study of his writings and 
character, with a portrait of their honour- 
able predecessor, that may excite their 
admiration, engage their esteem, and in- 
duce their imitation. 

Imitation, indeed, as it is not the 
source of virtue, so neither can it be vir- 
tue's support ; yet the examples of pi 
nun in preceding ages are encoura 
ments to the pious of the present, and 



are a call upon such as have not yet ar- 
rived at equal degrees of spiritual attain- 
ment, to examine the nature of the ob- 
struction. Seeing, " The same Lord 
" over all is rich unto all that call upon 
ic him," we must, probably, seek in our- 
selves for the cause of the difference 
which we observe ; and should we be per- 
suaded to make proofs of his riches, 
goodness, and mercy, by calling upon 
him, in an humble sense of our misery 
and want, — a want which no other riches 
can supply — we shall find it no disgrace 
to our character, to be found " followers 
u of them who through faith and patience 
M inherit the promises." 

The following account of Robert 
Barclay, is comprised under tw r o gene- 
ral heads. The first contains a survey- 
or his origin, education, progress in reli- 
gion, and the chief events of his life. 
The second mentions his writings, the 
time and motives of their publication ; 
and gives a brief description of their con- 
tentst 



SHORT ACCOUNT, £?c. 



part r. 

Sis origin-— education— progress in reli- 
gion—and the chief events of his life, 

ROBERT BARCLAY was born at 
Gordonstoun^ in the shire of Murray, 
the 23d of December (then tenth month) 
1648. William Penn has mentioned 
Edinburgh as the place of his birth; but 
this, according the account preserved in 
his family, is erroneous, f His lineal an- 
cestors are traced back, by unquestion- 
able documents, to Theobald de Berke- 

* Memoirs of the life of Col. D. Barclay of Ury, 
and of his eldest son R. Barclay of Ury, p. 31. 

t Genelogical Account of the Barclays of Urf 9 
Sec. 

A 2 

41+9 + 



ley, who lived In the reign of David I. 
king of Scotland. This king came to the 
throne in 1124, and was consequently 
contemporary with Henry I. of England, 
son of the Norman conqueror. 

Alexander de Berkeley, the fourth in 
succession from Theobald, having ob- 
tained by marriage, in 1351, the lands of 
Mathers, the family afterwards became 
designated by the appellation of De 
Berkeley of Mathers ; until his grandson, 
called also Alexander, changed the name 
to the present mode of spelling, Barclay. 
Such a change seems to imply but little ac- 
quaintance with books and records; yet 
this Alexander was reputed to be a scho- 
lar ; and to him are ascribed some verses 
said to be written by a laird oi Mathers, 
as advice to his son. The verses who- 
ever may have been the author, are worth 
preserving, both for their piety and good 
sense, and, supposing them to be his, 
as a specimen of Scottish poetry in the 
fifteenth century. 




Giff thou desire thy house lang stand, 
And thy successors bruik thy land, 
Abive all things, lief God in fear ; 
Intromit nought with wrangous gear ; 
Nor conquess nothing wrangously ; 
With thy neighbour keep charity. 
See that thou pass not thy estate ; 
Obey duly thy magistrate ; 
Oppress not, but support the puire ; 
To help the common weill take cuire. 
Use no deceit ; mell not with treason ; 
And to all men do right and reason. 
Both unto word and deed be true ; 
All kind of wickedness eschew. 
Slay no man ; nor thereto consent ; 
Be nought cruel, but patient. 
Ally a ay in some guid place, 
With noble, honest, godly, race. 
Hate huirdome, and all vices flee ; 
Be humble ; haunt guid companie, 
Help thy friend and do nae wrang, 
And God shall make thy house stand lang. 

If this be really the production of the 
first Barclay, it is probable that the spell- 
ing of some of the words has been mo- 
demised. 




8 

The eighth in descent from Alexander 
Barclay, was David Barclay ; who, be- 
ing in straitened circumstances through 
expensive living, sold his paternal estate 
of Mathers, after it had remained 300 
years in the family, and also a more an- 
cient inheritance which had been held 
500 years. The designation of Barclay 
of Mathers was consequently lost ; and 
in 1648, on the purchase of Ury by Da- 
vid, son of the last Barclay of Mathers, 
and father to Robert, the family assumed 
that of Barclay of Ury, which the spi- 
rit of feudal times, still surviving in 
Scotland, is disposed to retain. 

This description of pedigree may seem 
impertinent in religious biography. It 
must be allowed that, unconnected with 
virtue in the descendant, pedigree, when 
laid in the balance, " is altogether lighter 
than vanity."* It serves, among such 
as have not learned in the school of 

* Psalm Ixii. 9. 



Christ, to prompt, and to foster human 
pride. But when we see persons, dis- 
tinguished by birth and rank, deeming 
them of little value, in comparison of 
u the excellency of the knowledge of 
14 Christ Jesus the Lord ;" we perceive 
the sincerity and strength of their faith, 
and the prevalence of that power which 
can redeem from the love of earthly en- 
joyments. 

Before entering into the life of Robert 
Barclay, it may be proper to advert for 
a short time to that of his father, David 
Barclay of Ury, commonly called Colo- 
nel Barclay ; who was born at Kirktoun- 
hill, the seat of the Barclays of Mathers, 
in 1610.^ In his youth he was a volun- 
teer in the army under Gustavus Adol- 
phus king of Sweden, in which he rose 
to the rank of major. On the breaking 
out of the civil wars, he returned home, 
and became colonel of a regiment of 

* Memoirs p. 14. 



10 

horse on the side of the king ; but on the 
success of Cromwell in Scotland he lost 
his military employments, which he 
never after resumed. In 1647 he mar- 
ried Katharine Gordon, daughter of Sir 
Robert Gordon, of Gordonstoun. 

Notwithstanding his attachment to the 
royal cause, he was committed, after the 
restoration, a prisoner to Edinburgh 
castle ; but was liberated, without any 
thing being laid to his charge, or any 
reason given for his commitment.^ In 
this prison he met with John Swinton,f 
a person who had been in the interest 
of Cromwell, and who was confined on 
that account. Swinton had been attaint- 
ed of treason by the Scottish Parliament 
about nine years before, but had escaped 
into England ; whence, on the revival of 
the regal government, he was sent a pri- 

* Biog. Brit. 

t In the Memoirs p. 51, he is called u The 
" Laird of Swinton. He had been one of the 
" lords of session." 



11 

soner to Edinburgh. During his resi- 
dence in England, he had adopted the re- 
ligious principles of the society of 
Friends ; and when in Edinburgh castle, 
he was more concerned to spread them, 
than to defend his life. This person is 
said to have been the instrument of con- 
vincing David Barclay of the truth of 
these principles : but, according to his 
son's account, he did not profess them 
openly till a few years after. David 
Barclay underwent the indignities and 
imprisonments, which were often the lot 
of our early friends ; and he died in the 
year 1686.* On one occasion, having 
met with particular abuse from the popu- 
lace of Aberdeen, he remarked that he 
felt more satisfaction, as well as honour, 
in being so insulted for his religious 
principles, than he used to feel, when the 
magistrates to gain his favour were ac- 
customed to meet him at a distance from 
the city, and conduct him to public en- 

* Memoirs p. 31, 



12 

tertainments in the town-house ; accom- 
panying him afterwards as many miles 
on his way from them. 

The following account of the close of 
his life, is taken from the testimony of 
his son.* 

In his illness, which continued about a 
fortnight, 4 he signified a quiet contented 
4 mind, freely resigned to the will of God. 
4 About two days before his death, feel- 
4 ing his weakness with the pain [from 
4 the gravel], in an agony he said, / am 
1 going now ; and then instantly checking 
4 himself, added, But I shall go to the 
4 Lord, and be gathered to many of my bre- 
4 thren xvho are gone before me; and to 
4 my dear son.\ 

4 The 11th of the 8th month, between 
4 two and three in the morning, he grow- 
4 ing weaker, I drew nigh to him. He 

* Barclay's Works, fol. 907. 

f This was the youngest son, David, who died 
at sea, about a year before. He was an amiable 
youth, of examplary life and conversation, and 
was an acceptable minister among friends. 



13 

4 said, Is this my son P I said, yea, and 
4 spake a few words signifying my travail 
4 that He that loved him might be near 
4 him to the end. He answered, The 
4 Lord is nigh, repeating it once again, 
4 saying, Tou are my witnesses, in the pre- 
4 sence of God, that the Lord is nigh. And 
4 a little after he said, The perfect dis- 
4 covery of the day spring from on high ! 
L hozv great a blessing it hath been to me, 
4 and to my family / My wife desiring to 
1 know if he would have something to 
4 wet his mouth, he said it needeth not. 
4 She said it would refresh him. He laid 
4 his hand upon his breast, saying, He 
4 had that inwardly that refreshed him, 
4 And after a little while he added, di- 
c vers times, these words, The truth is 
c over all. 

4 An apothecary coming near, he took 
c him by the hand, saying, Thou zvilt bear 
4 me xuitness, that in all this exercise I 
4 have not been curious to tamper, nor to 
c pamper the flesh. He answered, Sir, I 
B 



14 

4 can bear witness that you have always 

minded the better, and more substantial 
4 part ; and rejoice to see the blessed end 
4 the Lord is bringing you to. He re- 
plied, Bear a faithful and true witness ; 
4 yet it is the life of righteousness, (re- 
4 peating these words twice over,) that 

1 we bear testmony to, and not to an empty 
'•profession. Then he called several 
4 times, Come, Lord Jesus, come, come. 
6 And again, My hope is in the Lord. 
4 Observing a countryman coming into 
4 the room, he thought it had been one of 
4 his tenants, who was a carpenter ; I 
4 telling him it was not he, but another, 
4 he said, See thou tell him to make no man» 
4 ner of superfluity upon my coffin. 

4 About three in the afternoon several 
4 friends came to see him. After some 
4 words were spoken, and Patrick 
4 Livingstone had prayed, which ended 
4 in praises, he held up his hands and 
said, Amen ! Amen for ever ! And af- 
4 ter they stood up looking at him, he 



15 

*said, How precious is the love of God 
4 among his children; and their love one 
4 to another ! Thereby shall all men know 
4 that ye are Chris? s disciples, if y oil love 
4 one another. How precious a thing it is 
4 to see brethren dwell together in love ! 
4 My love is xvith you. 1 leave it among 
4 you. 

4 About eight at night, perceiving some 
4 to weep, he said, Dear friends, all 
4 mind the inward man. Heed not the 
4 outward. There is one that doth regard. 
4 The Lord of Hosts is his name. After 
4 he heard the clock strike three in the 
4 morning, he said, Now the time comes. 
4 And a little after he was heard to say, 
4 Praises, praises, praises to the Lord ! 
4 Let now thy servant depart in peace. 
4 Into thy hands, O Father, I commit my 
4 soul, spirit, and body. Thy will, Lord, 
4 be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

4 And so, a little after five in the morn* 
4 ing, the 12th day of the 8th month, 
4 1686, he fell asleep.' 



le 

He was interred in the burying ground 
at Ury, which he had allotted for his 
own family, and for Friends. 

Robert Barclay, the subject of this 
narrative, received the rudiments of 
learning in his native country, and after 
having gone through the best schools 
there, he was sent to the Scots' College 
at Paris, of which his uncle Robert (son 
of the last Barclay of Mathers) was the 
rector. Here he made so great a profi- 
ciency in his studies as to gain the notice 
and praises of the masters of the col- 
lege ; and he also became so great a fa- 
vourite with his uncle, as to receive the 
offer of being made his heir, if he would 
remain in France. But his father, fear- 
ing that he might become tainted with 
the superstitions of popery, and in com- 
pliance with his mother's dying request, 
went to Paris in order to bring him 
home, when he was not much more than 
sixteen years of age. The uncle still 
endeavoured to prevent his return ; and 



17 

proposed to purchase for him, and pre- 
sent to him immediately, an estate great- 
er than his paternal one, Robert replied, 
4 He is my father, and must be obeyed.' 
Thus he sacrificed interest to filial duty : 
and the uncle, disobliged, left his proper- 
ty to the college, and to other religious 
houses in France. The return of Ro- 
bert Barclay to Scotland was in the 
year 1664.^" 

The following passage contains some 
account of his religious experience in 
childhood and youth. It is extracted, 
nearly in his own words, from the intro- 
duction to his Treatise on Universal 
Love : 4 My first education, from my 
4 infancy, fell among the strictest sort 
4 of Calvinists ; those of our country be- 
4 ing generally acknowledged to be the 
4 severest of that sect ; in the heat of 
4 zeal surpassing not only Geneva, from 
4 whence they derive their pedigree, but 

* Memoirs, 31, &c. 
B 2 



18 

1 all other the Reformed churches 
4 abroad, so called. I had scarce got out 

* of my childhood, when I was, by the 

* permission of Divine Providence, cast 

4 among the company of Papists ; and my 

4 tender years and immature capacity not 

4 being able to Withstand and resist the 

4 insinuations that were used to proselyte 

4 me to that way, I became quickly de- 

4 filed with the pollutions thereof; and 

4 continued therein for a time, until it 

4 pleased God through his rich love and 

4 mercy, to deliver me out of those 

4 snares, and to give me a clear under- 

4 standing of the evil of that way. In 

4 both these sects I had abundant occa- 

4 sion to receive impressions contrary to 

4 this principle of love: seeing the strait- 

4 ness of several of their doctrines, as well 

4 as their practice of persecution, do abun- 

4 dantly declare how opposite they are to 

4 universal love. The time that inter- 

4 vened betwixt my forsaking the church 

4 of Rome, and joining those with whom 



19 

4 I now stand engaged, I kept myself free 
4 from joining with any sort of people, 
4 though I took liberty to hear several ; 
4 and my converse was most with those 
4 that inveigh much against judging, and 
4 such kind of severity : which latitude 
c may perhaps be esteemed the other ex- 
4 treme, opposite to the preciseness of 
4 those other sects ; whereby I also re- 
4 ceived an opportunity to know what 
4 usually is pretended on that side like- 
4 wise. As for those I am now joined to, 
4 I justly esteem them to be the true fol- 
4 lowers and servants of Jesus Christ.' 

It does not appear that R. Barclay 
was convinced of the truth of Friends 5 
principles, merely by the means of 
preaching. In his Apology, Prop. XI. 
§. r. speaking of himself, he says, l Who, 
4 not by strength of argument, or by a 
4 particular disquisition of each doctrine, 
4 and convincement of my understanding 
4 thereby, came to receive and bear wit- 
' ness of the Truth j but by being secret- 



20 

4 ly reached by this Life. For when I 
4 came into the silent assemblies of God's 
4 people, I felt a secret power amongst 
4 them which touched my heart ; and as 
4 I gave way unto it, I found the evil 
4 weakening in me, and the good raised 
4 up ; and so I became thus knit and 
4 united unto them, hungering more and 
4 more after the increase of this power 
4 and life, whereby I might find myself 
4 perfectly redeemed.' 

In the month called February, 1669- 
70, Robert Barclay married Christian 
Mollison, daughter of Gilbert Mollison, 
a merchant in Aberdeen; and on his 
marriage settled at Ury, with his father. 
The issue of this marriage was three 
sons and four daughters ; viz. Robert, 
David, John, Patience, Katharine, Chris- 
tian, and Jane ; all of whom survived 
him, and were living fifty years after his 
death. The education of these children, 
on account of the early death of their fa- 
ther, was of course much under the care 
of his widow. 



21 

In the life of John Gratton, there is a 
pleasing and instructive account of this 
excellent mother's solicitude, to imbue 
the tender minds of her children, with 
pious and good principles. The passage 
is as follows : 4 I observed (1694) that 
4 when her children were up in the morn- 
4 ing, and dressed, she sat down with 
4 them, before breakfast ; and in a reli- 
4 gious manner waited upon the Lord : 
4 which pious care, and motherly instruc- 
4 tion of her children, when young, doubt- 
c less had its desired effect upon them ; 
1 for, as they grew in years, they also 
1 grew in the knowledge of the blessed 
4 Truth , and since that time some of 
4 them have become public preachers 
4 thereof.' 

Believing it to be her duty to appear as 
a preacher of righteousness, she was ve- 
ry solicitous that her example might, in 
all respects, correspond with her station. 
The following extracts from the testimo- 
ny of the monthly meeting of Ury, as 



22 

they exhibit some striking traits of the 
character of this amiable and pious wo- 
man, will doubtless be acceptable to the 
reader. 

4 She was religiously inclined 

4 from her youth ; and publicly embraced 
4 the testimony of Truth, in the love of 
4 it, in early years, viz. about the six- 
4 teenth year of her age, and that through 
4 many hardships and sufferings ; in 
4 which she walked all along suitably to 
4 what she professed. Her travail was 
4 great for the prosperity of the blessed 
4 Truth, and for all who professed it, 
4 that they might witness possession, 
4 which is is far beyond profession. She 
4 laid herself out to assist, and give ad- 
4 vice to sick people ; and supplied their 
4 necessities, especially the poor ; many 
4 of whom came ten, twenty, thirty, and 
4 some forty miles, and upwards, receiv- 
4 ing great benefit ; for her success was 
4 wonderful : and great is the lamenta» 
4 tion made for her removal, among the 



23 

*poor and sick. She was a well accotn- 

* plished woman every way, and of sin- 

* gular virtues, which she improved, to 
4 the praise of the Lord. When we call 
4 to mind the solidity, the soundness, the 
4 seriousness that attended her ; the care 

* and concern she was under, that no 
4 slackness, or unconcernedness might be 

* in the church, but that diligence might 
4 be used to make our calling and elec- 
4 tion sure ; the great and daily concern, 
4 which was attended with a good effect, 
4 for the preservation of her children and 
4 grandchildren, of whom she commonly 
4 had eight or ten in the family with her ; 
4 and how exemplarily she walked before 
4 them ; we cannot avoid lamenting the 
4 loss of her. 

4 She was taken ill the 12th of the 3d 
4 month, 1722 ; and from that time until 
4 her removal she continued weakly. 
4 Comfortable to us is the remembrance 
4 of the many precious seasons we then 
4 had in her company, and under her min- 



24 



1 istry ; her concern for the Truth and 
4 Church's prosperity continuing with 

* her to the last, her earnest travail being 
4 then, as it had been all her life long, to 
« be a faithful labourer for God ; who had 

* been with her, and blessed her with his 
4 presence, from her youth upwards ; and 

* who remarkably attended her to the 
4 drawing of her last breath ; which was 
4 in great peace, joy, and quietness, upon 
4 the 14th of the 12th month, 1723, in the 
4 76th year of her age.' 

Robert Barclay, after his marriage, 
lived about sixteen years with his father ; 
in which time most of the tracts were 
written, that have gained him so much 
reputation as a religious writer. His 
time however was not all passed in en- 
deavouring to serve the cause of religion 
with his pen. He both acted and suffer- 
ed for it. The earliest transaction re- 
corded of him, is one which, probably, 
would not have been expected from a 
person of the turn of mind which Ro- 



25 

bert Barclay appears, from his wri- 
tings, to have possessed; namely, the 
passing through the streets of Aberdeen 
clothed in sackloth.* This action is 
branded, by the writer of his life in the 
General Biography now publishing, with 
the name of enthusiasm ; and is even 
stigmatised with marks of contempt, by 
his eulogist in the Biographia Britanni- 
ca: by each of them, however, his sin- 
cerity is allowed* After he had thus be- 
come 4 a spectacle to men,'f he wrote a 
short address on the subject to the inha- 
bitants of Aberdeen. The following ex- 
tract from it exhibits the motive and de- 
sign of his exposure ; and shows that he 
did not engage in it, without previously 
opening his intention to some of his reli- 
gious associates. c Therefore was I com- 
1 manded of the Lord to pass through 
' your streets covered with sackcloth and 
4 ashes, calling you to repentance^ that ye 

* This was in the year 1672. 

t Barclay's Works, 105. 

C 



26 

4 might yet be more awakened, and 
4 alarmed to take notice of the Lord's 

* voice unto you ; and not to despise 

* these things which belong to yourpeace, 
4 whilst your day lasteth, lest hereafter 
4 they be hid from your eyes. And the 
4 command of the Lord concerning this 
4 thing came unto me that very morning 
4 as I awakened, and the burden thereof 

* was very great ; yea, seemed almost in- 
4 supportable unto me (for such a thing 
4 until that very moment, had never en- 
4 tered me before, not in the most remote 
4 consideration). And some whom I cal- 
4 led, to declare to them this thing, can 
4 bear witness how great was the agony of 
4 my spirit ; how I besought the Lord 
4 with tears that this cup might pass away 
c from me ; yea, how the pillars of my 
4 tabernacle were shaken, and how ex- 
4 ceedingly my bones trembled, until I 
4 freely gave up to the Lord's will. And 
4 this was the end and tendency of my 
1 testimony, to call you to repentance, by 



27 

4 this signal and singular step ; which I, 
4 as to my own will and inclination, was 
4 as unwilling to be found in, as the worst 
4 and the wickedest of you can be averse 
4 from receiving, or laying it to heart. 
4 Let all and every one of you, in whom 
4 there is yet alive the least regard to 
c God, or his fear, consider and weigh 
c this matter in the presence of God, and 
' by the spirit of Jesus Christ in your 
4 hearts, which makes all things manifest. 
4 Search and examine, every one in his 
4 own soul, how far this warning and 
4 voice of the Lord is applicable unto 
4 them ; and how great need they have to 
4 be truly humbled in their spirits ; re- 
4 turning unto the Lord in their inward 
4 parts, with such true and unfeigned re- 
4 pentance, as answers to the outward 
4 clothing of sackcloth, and being covered 
4 with ashes' — Consider, where are ye 
4 who are called Christians ; among 
4 whom it is become a wonder, a stone of 
4 stumbling, or matter of mockery, or a 



28 

6 ground of reproach, for one, in the 
* name of the Lord, to invite you to re- 
4 pentance, in sackcloth and ashes? 
4 Would not the heathen condemn you in 
4 this thing; and will not Ninevah stand 
4 up in judgment against you ? How is it 
4 that ye that are called Christians can 
4 willingly give room to every idle moun- 
4 tebank, and can suffer your minds to be 
4 drawn out to behold these sinful diver- 
4 tisements, which indeed divert the mind 
4 from the serious sense of God's fear? 
4 The people can be gathered there, and 
4 neither the magistrates complain of tu- 
4 mult, nor yet preachers and professors 
4 cry out against it as delusion or mad- 
4 ness. O my friends, consider; can there 
4 be any more strongly deluded, than for 
4 people daily to acknowledge and con- 
4 fess they are sinners and sinning, in 
4 words ; and to startle at that which did 
4 so lively represent unto them what they 
4 own to be their own state and condi- 
4 tion ? — I shall add that which upon this 



29 

occasion, I declared unto you, I was 

* for a sign from the Lord unto you ; I 

* desire ye may not be among those that 
i wonder and perish, but rather repent 
4 and be saved. And this is my testimo- 
i ny unto you whether ye will hear or 
' forbear. I have peace with my God in 
4 what I have done, and am satisfied 

* that his requirings I have answered in 
' this thing.' 

Though Robert Barclay kept some 
account of the transactions of his life ; 
yet, the manuscript book containing that 
account having been lost, it is only from 
the incidental mention of them in the 
writings of others, that many things res- 
pecting him can be collected and ar- 
ranged. 

Andrew JafFray intimates, that Bobert 
Barclay sometimes availed himself of 
the opportunity, which the national con- 
gregations afforded, of promulgating the 
doctrines of the society. His first visit 
to London was probably in 1674, as we 

c 2 



30 

find from a passage in the journal of John 
Gratton, who in that year, together with 
Robert Barclay, Patrick Livingstone, 
and William Hague, paid a visit to the 
notorious Ludowick Muggleton.* The 
next year, 1675,f conjointly with George 
Keith, he was engaged in a public dis- 
pute with some of the students in the uni- 
versity of Aberdeen. Though this dis- 
pute did not terminate to the satisfaction 
of the disputants on either side, yet it 
was attended, as is said, with this effect, 
that it proved the means of convincing 
four other students, w T ho were part of the 
auditory, of the truth of the principles 
maintained by Robert Barclay. In 
1676\ he travelled again to London on a 
religious visit to his friends ; and made 
a similar visit in Holland and Germany. 
In this journey he commenced an ac- 
quaintance with Elizabeth, princess-pa- 

* Gratton's Life, page 69, Edit. 17^. 
t Barclay's Works, p. 569. f Memoirs, p. 35. 



31 

latine of the Rhine ; with whom, as ap* 
pears from a letter she wrote to him on 
his return, he had a conference on reli- 
gious subjects. After he had completed 
this visit, he returned to London, where 
he received intelligence of the imprison- 
ment of his father, with some other 
friends, at Aberdeen. On this occasion, 
he presented into the hands of the king, 
Charles II. the following petition. 

4 The state of the case of the people cal- 
1 led Quakers in Scotland, presented un- 
4 to the king's consideration. 

4 The Council of Scotland having 
4 about three months ago, emitted a de- 
4 claration to reinforce former acts of 
i Parliament against Conventicles, and 
4 recommended the execution of them, 
1 because of the abuse several persons had 
4 made of the king's indulgence, as the 
4 said declaration intimates ; some infe- 
4 rior magistrates have taken occasion 
4 thereby to imprison many of them ; and 
1 some deputies of the county have 



32 

4 stretched the laws against conventicles 
4 to the utmost pitch of severity, by hea- 
4 vy fines and tedious imprisonments, al- 
4 though their practices and principles 
4 never gave ground for such procedure. 

4 It is therefore, on behalf of the said 
4 suffering people, with all sincere re- 
4 spect, desired, that it would please the 
4 king favourably to recommend their 
4 case to the Council of Scotland ; that a 
4 difference of character may be put upon 
4 them who have ever lived and behaved 
4 themselves peaceably under the present 
4 government, from such that are said to 
4 have abused the indulgence ; with some 
4 present relief to those harmless suffer- 
4 ers, to prevent their utter ruin ; which 
4 in all probability will attend so many of 
4 them that live by their labour and trade. 
(Signed) 4 R. Barclay.' 

By the king's direction the following- 
laconic order was quickly underwritten 
to the remonstrance of Barclay, viz. 



33 

* His majesty is graciously pleased to 

* refer this paper to the right honourable 

4 the lords of his majesty's privy council 

.* of Scotland. 

(Signed) * Lauderdale.' 

Whitehall, August 17th, 
1676. 

In this year, 1676, Barclay's Apolo- 
gy was first published. He was then 
in the 28th year of his age. To say 
much of his writings, in this place, would 
be a deviation from the plan proposed : 
but it may not be improper to observe, 
that it is to the credit of Charles II. that 
he took no offence at the Christian free- 
dom, which Robert Barclay had used 
in his famous inscription of that work to 
him. On the contrary, it is not impro- 
bable that it made way for the favour- 
able reception of the remonstrance in 
question. 

We have very little account of the par- 
ticular object of Robert Barclay's vi- 
sit to the continent which has been just 



34 

mentioned. It may, however, be con- 
jectured, that the publication of the Apo- 
logy, which was printed at Amsterdam, 
was a part of it. Probably this book was 
presented to the king, on R.Barclay's 
return from the continent. 

It does not appear that the king's in- 
terference procured the release of David 
Barclay and the other prisoners.^ Soon 
after Robert's return home, he was him- 
self imprisoned : but he was so far in- 
dulged as to be put into a better, or more 
properly, a less disgusting, prison than 
the rest.f 

His commitment was on the 7th of the 
9th month (November), 1676 ; and in 
the following month the news of his con- 
finement reached his friend the princess- 
palatine, probably with some circum- 
stances of exaggeration, as appears from 

* Besse's Collection of the Sufferingsfof;thepeo* 
pie called Quakers, Vol. 2. Article Scotland. 

t The Tolbooth at Aberdeen seems to have 
been divided into the uft/ier and lower prisons. 
The upper was the worse. 



ss 



the following letter to her brother, the 
prince Rupert. 

Herford, December 19th, 1676. 
1 Dear Brother, 
' I wrote to you some months ago, by 
Robert Barclay, who passed this 
way, and hearing I was your sister, de- 
sired to speak with me. I knew him to 
be a Quaker by his hat, and took occa- 
sion to inform myself of all their opi- 
nions : finding they were [accus- 
tomed*] to submit to magistrates in real 
things, omitting the ceremonial, I wish- 
ed in my heart, the king might have 
many such subjects. And since, I 
have heard, that, notwithstanding his 
majesty's most gracious letters in his 
behalf to the Council of Scotland, he has 
been clapped up in prison with the rest 
of his friends, and they threaten to hang 
them, at least those they call preach- 
ers among them, unless they subscribe 
their own banishment ; and this upon a 

* This word seems wanting to make sense. 



36 

* law made against other sects that appear- 

* ed armed for the maintenance of their 
4 heresy ; which goes directly against the 

* principles of those which are ready to 

* suffer all that can be inflicted, and still 
4 love and pray for their enemies. 

4 Therefore, dear brother, if you can 

4 do any thing to prevent their destruc- 

4 tion, I doubt not but you will do an ac- 

4 tion acceptable to God Almighty, and 

4 conducive to the service of your royal 

4 master : for the Presbyterians are their 

4 violent enemies, to whom they are an 

4 eye-sore, as being witnesses against all 

4 their violent ways. I care not, though 

4 his majesty see my letter. It is 

4 written out of no less an humble affec- 

4 tion for him, than most sensible com- 

4 passion of the innocent sufferers. You 

4 will act herein according to your own 

4 discretion, and I beseech you still con- 

4 sider me as 

4 Yours, 

4 Elizabeth/ 



3f 

Whilst Robert Barclay lay in the 
Tolbooth at Aberdeen, his father was 
again * committed to prison, and lodged 
in the lower goal. He was committed the 
6th of the 1st month (March) 1677, 
about four months after his son's impri- 
sonment ; and on the 17th, they were 
both removed, with three others, to a 
place out of the town, called the Chapel. 
In this Chapel the five prisoners were 
confined in a small room, which allowed 
them little more space than was necessary 
to hold their beds. It had a large door 
which was not opened except when the 
keeper brought them food ; and when it 
was shut, the prisoners had not sufficient 

* It is not clear how David Barclay was re. 
leased from his iormer imprisonment. Several 
t>t his fellow-prisoners were set at liberty on dis- 
traints having been made to answer the sums, in 
which they had been fined. Yet it appears, from 
Besse, Vol. 2. p. 518, that David Barclay was at 
home when the distress was levied, viz. ten 
working oxen, two cows, a bull, and a quantity 
or corn. ^ * 



38 

light to serve them at their meals. It 
was usual when the door was opened, for 
a servant to come and sweep out the 
room ; and because, to make way for him 
the prisoners occasionally stepped a few 
paces out of the door, induced also by 
the desire of breathing for a few minutes 
a purer air, the magistrate of Aberdeen 
reprimanded their keeper for allowing so 
much indulgence. The same magistrate 
also chid the person who kept the key of 
their cell, for proposing to let them have 
a small place under their room, for the 
purpose of stowing fuel ; and rejected 
with indignation a proposal to make ano- 
ther window to their darksome place of 
confinement. Such was then the treat- 
ment of a man who had lately been well 
received at courts ; who had then pub- 
lished a work, which will long render his 
name eminent in the religious world ; 
and, it may not be uninstractive to add, 
many of whose numerous descendants 
are now surrounded with most of the ac- 



39 



commodations that opulence can bestow, 
and with much more than the simplicity 
of the Christian life requires. 

On the 3d of the 2d month (April,) an 
order of the commissioners of the Scot- 
tish council was made for removing Da- 
vid from the Chapel, for confining him at 
his country house, and prohibiting him to 
hold meetings, or to go to them. He was 
therefore released, but he informed the 
bearers of the conditions, that he ac- 
cepted his liberty, but that, as to the re- 
striction, he should act as he saw proper. 
Robert was ordered to be removed from 
the Tolbooth of Aberdeen (where it 
seems he was still considered as a pri- 
soner, though he was really at the Chapel) 
to the Tolbooth of Bamff; to which place 
were also ordered several other prison- 
ers. The sheriff gave him his liberty, on 
condition of his being forth coming, when 
he should appoint a time to corner him 
to Bamff. 



40 

The king's recommendation to the 
council at Edinburgh, had been referred 
by that body to certain commissioners ap- 
pointed for putting into execution some 
acts of the Scottish parliament, against 
what was termed ' keeping of conventi- 
' cles, and withdrawers from divine wor- 
i ship ;' under which acts the friends at 
Aberdeen had been persecuted ; and by 
some of these commissioners the decree 
had been made, by which David was li- 
berated, and Robert ordered to be re- 
moved to Bamff. Previously, however, 
to this decree, the prisoners in general 
had preferred a petition to the council it- 
self, requesting relief, and stating their 
sufferings ; which seem to have been 
even more grievous than those which Ro- 
bert Barclay and his four companions 
had endured in the Chapel. The council 
listened to the request ; appointed a day 
in the 3d month (May) for receiving 
from the commissioners information re- 
specting the condition and circumstances 



41 

of the prisoners ; and ordered that, in 
the mean time, they should be provided 
with better accommodations. This or- 
der of council caused much dispute be- 
tween the magistrates of Aberdeen and 
the under-sheriff: the former insisting- 
that the sheriff should take to Bamffsuch 
prisoners as had been ordered thither by 
the decree of the commissioners ; and 
the latter refusing to convey them, and 
pressing the magistrates to accommodate 
them better, in consequence of the coun- 
cil's order, which bore a date subsequent 
to the commissioners 5 decree. The con- 
tention grew violent, and each party en- 
tered formal protests at law against the 
neglect of the other. Robert Barclay 
also and the other prisoners who had 
been ordered to be taken to Bamff, being, 
as has been said, at large, on their parole, 
and seeing that neither of the contending 
parties would take charge of them, went 
before a notary and protested, c thatthem- 
4 selves were freemen, and should pass 
d 2 



42 

4 away about theflr lawful occasions.' Thus 
did Robert Barclay regain his liberty, 
the 9th of the 2d month (April) 1677, after 
an imprisonment of about five months.^" 
It may be acceptable to some readers 
to peruse the following letter written by 
Robert Barclay not many days before 
his release. This letter, with the petition 
before mentioned, probably contributed 
to his liberation. 

4 To James Sharp, Archbishop of St. 
4 Andrews (so called.)! 

1 My being personally unknown to 
4 thee, hath hindered me to give way to 
4 that pressure of mind, whereby I have 
4 felt myself oftentimes moved to write 
4 to thee, because I was loth to trouble 
4 thee : but since there is an address in- 
4 tended to be presented to the council, 
4 at the first sitting, in behalf of me and 
4 my friends, I could no longer forbear 
4 upon this occasion, to signify unto thee 

* Besse. t Besse. Also Memoirs, p. 37 \ 



4ft 



c what hath been upon my mind for some 
4 time towards thee. The address itself 
4 will inform thee, how we have been up- 
4 wards of a year imprisoned, and the 
4 goods of many poor people miserably 
4 spoiled ; of which thou art said to be 
4 the chief and principal author; and that 
4 the attempting to persecute us, as well 
4 as the prosecution of it, doth proceed 
4 from thy influence, as being done either 
4 at thy express desire, or by some 
4 others, in hopes thereby to gratify thee. 
4 How far thou art truly guilty thereof, 
4 thine own conscience can best tell. 
4 Surely such practices (if thou hast, ei- 
4 ther directly or indirectly, had a hand 
i in them) will neither commend thee to 
4 God nor good men. I presume thou look- 
4 est upon it as thy chief honour, to be 
4 reputed a Christian bishop, deriving thy 
4 authority from Christ and his apostles : 
4 but they never gave warrant for any 
4 such doings, being preachers and prac- 
4 tisers of patience and suffering, but ne- 



44 

c ver of persecuting, or causing to rob any 
4 of their goods or liberties, for their con- 
4 science sake. And long after, even se- 
4 veral centuries, the primitive bishops 
4 abhorred and detested such proceed- 
4 ings. Hence the excellent and zealous 
4 Athanasius, that "it is the deviVs work, 
u and not God's, to force men's con- 
"sciences;" affirming, " that the blasphe- 
" mous Avians (who were the first bear- 
4 ing the name of Christians, that used 
' that practice) have learned so to do, not 
" of God, but the devil and his angels" 
4 Considerable are the testimonies, Ter- 
4 tullian, Hsesius, Hilarius, Jerom, and 
4 others, have given to the same truth ; 
4 so that Ambrosius declares, that going 
4 into France, u he refused all communica- 
11 tion with such bishops, that hadanyfeU 
44 lowship with those that sought to des% 
u troy, even such as were departed front 
" the faith" I confess the bloody bi- 
4 shops of Rome gave large precedents of 
4 such actions ; but I suppose thou art 



45 

* not ambitious to be ranked among them, 

* or to be an imitator of them in that re- 
4 spect. How far thou art justifiable, in 

* thy concurring with, or advising the 

* persecution of the Presbyterian dissent- 

* ers, it is not my business to determine; 

* but I am confident, thou art willing it 
4 should be judged, that thy so doing 
4 against them, is not merely for their 
4 conscience, but because their principles 

* do naturally, or necessarily, imply an 
4 innovation in the state, and thy person- 
4 al ruin : believing not only military re- 
4 sistance just, to protect themselves 
4 against authority, but also an offensive 
4 endeavour to turn out their superiors, 
4 and establish themselves in their over- 
4 throw, both lawful and laudable, as their 
4 practice hath sufficiently demonstrated, 
4 But shouldst thou be found a positive 
4 persecutor of such against whom no- 
4 thing of that kind, neither from princi- 
4 pie nor practices can be alledged, but 
4 only the simple exercise of their con- 



46 

4 sciences, would not that give plentiful 
4 occasion for such as desire to represent 
* thy other actions with the worst aspect, 
4 to show, whatever thou pretendest of 
4 the state's security, yet thou art a perse- 
4 cutor of pure conscience ; since thou 
4 showest thyself such against those, 
4 against whom, the former reasons do 
4 not hold ? And surely it would seem 
4 that the more our peaceable principles 
4 take place among other dissenters, thy 
4 interest will be more secure : which is 
1 a consideration not unworthy of thy no- 
4 tice, as deserving thy favourable aspect 
4 towards us. Perhaps the violence of se- 
4 veral of the preachers, as some magis- 
4 trates here, from whom our sufferings 
4 originally do flow, may at first view 
4 seem acceptable to thee, as faithful 
4 friends as well to the public as to thy in- 
4 terest ; and no doubt they judge with 
4 themselves, that they ingratiate them- 
4 selves with thee, in so doing : yet didst 
4 thou know them as well as some of us 



47 

do, thou mightst think it no great ab- 
surdity to conclude, as well from their 
practices as principles, that they would 
be no less ready to give thee this same 
treatment, had they but opportunity of 
doing it ; and rejoice more in it, as a 
a great service both to God and the kirk 
of Scotland : however that is now out 
of their reach, they make what use of 
the law they can, both to execute their 
malice on us, and flatter thee, at this 
juncture. In short, we have more than 
reason to believe, that if thou oppose 
thyself to this our address, it will not be 
granted ; and if thou show thyself mo- 
derate and flexible, it will not be de- 
nied ; as no mean persons have hinted 
unto us : so as the one will be an evi- 
dence of thy moderation, the other will 
be a testimony of thy inclinations to per- 
secute. I wish then, for thy sake as well 
as ours, that this occurrence rather com- 
mend thee than discommend thee : and 
thou mayst assure thyself, that the ut- 



48 

1 most rigour that can be used to us shall 

* never be able to make us depart from 
4 that living precious truth, that God in 

* his mercy hath revealed unto us, and by 
4 us is embraced ; nor yet fright us from 
4 the public profession of it, yea, though 
4 we should be pursued to death itself; 
4 which, by the grace of God, we hope 

* chearfully to undergo for the same ; 
1 and we doubt not, but God would out of 
4 our ashes, raise witnesses who should 
4 outlive all the violence and cruelty of 
4 man. And albeit thou thyself shouldst 
4 be most inexorable and violent towards 
4 us, thou mayst assure thyself, not to re- 
4 ceive any evil from us therefore ; who, 
4 by the grace of God, have learned to 
4 suffer patiently ; and with our Lord and 
4 Master Jesus Christ, to pray for and 
4 love our enemies : yet as thy so doing 

4 to an innocent and inoffensive people, 
4 would be an irreparable loss to thy 
4 reputation ; so to the God of truth, 
4 whom we serve with our spirits, in the 



49 

c gospel of his Son, and to whom ven* 

4 geance belongs, we leave it, who will 

4 certainly in his own time and way, re- 

4 venge our quarrel; whose dreadful 

4 judgments should be more terrible to 

4 thee, and much more justly to be fear- 

*ed, than the violent assaults of secret 

4 assassinations of thy other antagonists. 

4 That thou mayst prevent both the one 

4 and the other, by a Christian modera- 

4 tion, suitable to the office thou layst 

4 claim to, is the desire of, 

4 Thy soul's well wisher, 

4 R. Barclay.' 

From the Chapel prison of 
Aberdeen, the 26th of the 
First month, 1677. 

It may be observed that Robert Bar- 
clay, in this letter speaks of the im- 
prisonment as having been a year's du- 
ration ; w r hich cannot be true, of the 
term of his own confinement. He must 
therefore refer to his fellow-prisoners, 



oO 

who had been generally taken up in the 
first month of the preceding year. 
With regard to the archbishop, it is pro- 
bable that he relented, though the author 
of some short memoirs of David and 
Robert Barclay, (printed at Aberdeen 
in 1740) is not of this opinion, nor does 
the character of Sharp much support it.* 
The short lived protestant episcopacy of 
Scotland, may prevent some readers from 
recollecting that, at this time, the eccle- 
siastical government of the church of 
that country was vested in bishops, and 
that the city called St. Andrews was the 
metropolitan see. It appears by Bar- 
clay's letter that Archbishop Sharp had 
been rigourous towards the presbyte- 
rians, who formed the bulk of the com- 
munity in Scotland. His conduct how- 
ever met with a severe return, for he 
was murdered in a barbarous manner as 

* See Burnet's History of his own time, anno 
1673. 



he was crossing a moor, on his return 
from a sitting of the council.* 

Robert Barclay had not long reco- 
vered his liberty before he again travel- 
led southward, for we find him at Lon- 
don in the 3d month (May), at which 
time he had, by appointment, and at his 
own request, a conference with William 
Rogers, of Bristol,f who had joined 
some separatists in Westmoreland in op- 
position to the discipline of the Society. 
Barclay's Anarchy of the Ranters had 
been written, in great measure, for the 
support of discipline. It was therefore 
natural that such a book and its author 
should attract the censure of Rogers. 
They met, however, in the presence of 
many friends ; and, what is not very 
common in such debates, the confer- 
ence was conducted with calmness and 



* See Burnet's History, anno 1679, Edit. 8vo. 
1724, Vol. ii. p. 138. 

t Gough's History of the people called Qua- 
kers, Vol. iii, p. 16. 



52 

moderation ; and was followed by the ac- 
knowledgment of Rogers, that he had 
misapprehended a part of Barclay's 
hook. Rogers however still continued 
his controversy with friends ; and even 
wrote again in opposition to Robert 
Barclay's book ;* so that probably, not 
to his yielding temper, but to the mode- 
ration and calmness of Barclay's way 
of treating him, may be attributed his 
concessions on this occasion. 

The year in which Robert Barclay 
was released from prison^ he accompa- 
nied William. Penn in a part of the reli- 
gious visit to Holland and Germany, of 
which there is an account published by 
Penn. They embarked the 26th of the 
5th month (July) 1677f in company with 

* Gough's hist. iii. 16, 17. Gough says, errone- 
ously, (p. 15) that the Anarchy of the Ranttrs 
was written on account of the dissensions in 
Westmoreland. See Barclay's Works, fol. p. 238, 

t Penn's Works, 2 vol. fol. Life of the Author 
prefixed. 



George Fox and some other friends. 
Robert Barclay was with them at 
Rotterdam and Amsterdam. At the lat- 
ter place was held a general meeting of 
the friends of the United provinces, in 
which many matters were settled and 
agreed on, relating to the discipline of 
the Society of Friends, and adapted to 
their condition in those countries. Af- 
ter a short stay at Amsterdam, they pro- 
ceeded to Herwerden, the residence of 
Elizabeth the princess palatine. The 
principal object of their journey thither 
was to visit this princess, and Anna Ma- 
ria de Homes, countess of Homes, who 
was her intimate acquaintance, who re- 
sided much in her house, and was, as 
well as herself, a woman seeking after 
the best things and a favourer of such 
(says Penn) as separate themselves from 
the world, for the sake of righteousness. 
They were received by the princess 
and her friend, the day of their arrival, 
about seven in the morning. Their vi- 



sit appears to have been a religious 
meeting, which lasted till eleven, and in 
which all the friends were engaged in 
testimony.* The princess invited them 
to dine with her, which they declined; 
but as they desired another meeting, she 
appointed two o'clock in the afternoon. 
Such were the early hours then ob- 
served. At this meeting several were 
present besides the princess and count- 
ess. It continued till near seven in the 
evening. William Penn thus speaks of 
it : 4 The eternal Word showed itself a 
c hammer this day : yea sharper than a 
4 two-edged sword, dividing asunder be* 
4 tween the soul and spirit, between the 
'joints and the marrow. — Well, let my 
4 right hand forget its cunning, and my 

* By this phrase is to be understood that each of 
the visitors thought himself required to preach 
in the meeting. Such declarations are called 
testimonies because they bear witness, or testify 
to that which the speaker feels in himself. See 
on this subject Barclay's Apology, Proposition 10, 
§. 7. §. 14. §. 15. §. 33. 



55 

* tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, 
4 when I shall forget the loving-kind- 
4 ness of the Lord, and the sure mercies 
4 of our God, to us his travelling ser- 
4 vants that day.' 

The following day, they paid two vi- 
sits at this little court ; and the day af- 
ter, which was the first day of the week, 
they held there a meeting appointed at 
two o'clock by the direction of the prin- 
cess ; at which were present others be- 
sides those of her household. Among 
other things, Penn says of this meeting, 
4 The quickening power and life of Je- 
4 sus wrought, and reached them ; and 
4 virtue from Him in whom dwelleth 
4 the Godhead bodily, went forth.' Af- 
ter this meeting, which held till late in 
the evening, the visitors took their 
leave ; but not before they had been wit- 
nesses of the tender disposition of mind 
of the princess; who, attempting to set 
forth her sense of the power and presence 
of God prevalent among them, could not 



56 

proceed, but turned herself to the win- 
dow and said ; 4 My heart is full, I cannot 
speak to you.' The next day Robert 
Barclay left the company, and returned 
to Amsterdam. It appears that his re- 
turn home was by way of London. On 
the road he wrote a letter to the prin- 
cess ; which, as it gives some account of 
his immediate circle of friends at Aber- 
deen, and contains other matters worthy 
of remark, is here inserted. 

* Theobalds near London, 
12th of the 7th mo. 1677. 

4 Dear Friend, 

4 By thy letter of the last of the month 

4 past, I understood that the friends 

4 were with thee, and was refreshed by 

c the account they gave me of thy kind 

4 and Christian entertainment of them 

4 (they having overtaken me in Holland). 

4 God will not be wanting to reward thy 

4 love, as well as to increase the same. 

* Memoirs, p. 44. 



• 57 

6 Finding no ready passage strait to Scot- 
4 land, I came over here ; and albeit I 
4 had no great expectation of success, I 
4 resolved once more to try thy cousin 
4 the duke of York.* So I told him, that 
4 I understood from Scotland, notwith- 
standing Lauderdale was there, and 
4 had promised, ere he went, to dosome- 
4 thing, yet our friends' foes were rather 
4 increased ; and that now there w r as on- 
4 ly one thing to be done, which I de- 
4 sired of him ; and that was, to write ef- 
4 fectually to the duke of Lauderdale* in 
4 that style wherein Lauderdale might 
4 understand that he was serious in the 
4 busiuess, and did really intend the 
1 thing he did write concerning should 
4 take effect : which I knew he might do, 
4 and I suppose the other might answer ; 
4 which if he would do, I must acknow- 
ledge as a great kindness. But if he 
4 did write, and not in that manner, so 

* Afterwards James 2d. 



56* 

1 that the other might not suppose him to 
4 be serious, I would rather he would ex- 
4 cuse himself the trouble ; desiring with- 
4 al to excuse my plain manner of deal- 
4 ing, as being different from court way 
4 of soliciting: all which he seemed to 
4 take in good part, and said he would so 
4 write, as I desired, for my father and 
4 me, but not for the general.* So he 

* hath given me a letter : whether it may 
4 prove effectual or not, I cannot deter- 
4 mine, but of this thou mayst hear here- 
4 after. I am now entered upon my jour- 
4 ney, and intend to pass by the way of 
4 Ragley. What thou writest of the 

* chancellor of the elector, and the other 

* Meaning the persecuted friends of Aberdeen in 
general, James 2d has been accused of pretend- 
ing to be the champion of liberty of conscience 
for the sake of opening a way for the establish- 
ment of the Catholic party. This limitation of 
his good offices to the Barclays only, and his re* 
fusal to interest himself for the relief of the suf- 
ferers in general, does, indeed, favour the opi- 
nion, that he was a time server, and not a real 
friend to liberty of conscience. 



59 

* preachers, is very acceptable to me to 

'hear; whose joy it is, to understand 

4 that the eyes of any are opened to see 

4 the truth as it is in this day revealed ; as 

4 it should be much more, to hear that 

4 any came into that universal obedience 

4 which the life and power thereof lead 

4 to : which life andpower, as they are felt 

4 in the inward part, are more than all the 

4 words than can be spoken ; of which 

I know thou hast, at some times, not 

4 been insensible ; and therefore my 

4 soul's desire for thee is, that thou 

4 mayst more and more come out of all 

4 that cumbers, to feel this virtue of 

4 truth to operate in, and redeem thy 

c soul from all the difficulties that do or 

4 may attend thee. This, in the nature 

4 of it, it is powerful to do, albeit thy 

4 temptations were both great and more 

4 numerous than they are ; if received by 

4 thee in the love of it, and with a heart 

4 fully resigned to obey it, in all its re- 

4 quirings ; without consulting with flesh 

4 and blood, or turning by the plain and 



60 

4 simple leadings thereof by wise and 
4 fleshly reasonings, which will never ad- 
4 mit of the government and rule of the 
4 cross of Christ : as thou well know- 
4 est and wilt not refuse to acknow- 
4 ledge, and therefore art the more con- 
4 cerned to watch against it in thy own 
4 particular, as I hope in measure thou 
4 dost, and my heart's desire is. 

4 Thou mayst make mention of my 
4 dear and tender love to Anna, whose 
4 servant, as also the French woman, I 
4 forget not. To Anna I thought to have 
4 written apart, but must now leave it un- 
4 til another opportunity. If thou seest 
4 meet to salute that counsellor of the 
4 elector in my name, thou mayst do it. 
4 I shall add no more at present, but that 
4 I am, 

4 Thy real and unfeigned friend, 

* Robert Barclay.' 

In forming this compilation, no occur- 
rence has been found recorded of Ro- 



61 

bert Barclay, from the date of the 
foregoing letter till the 9th month (Nov.) 
1679, when he was again taken,* with 
several other friends, from the meeting 
at Aberdeen, and committed to prison. 
This confinement was not only of short 
duration, as they were released in about 
three hours, but it proved the last on this 
account ; for from that period the reli- 
gious meetings of Friends at Aberdeen, 
were held without any molestation from 
the magistrate. The well known interest 
which Robert Barclay possessed at 
court, might in part restrain them from 
further persecution ; and the constancy 
of the sufferers could scarcely fail of pro- 
ducing an effect favourable to the end for 
which they suffered ; the liberty of as- 
sembling to worship God, in the way 
they believed to be most acceptable to 
him. 

In this year, 1679,1 Robert Barclay 
obtained a charter from Charles 2d. un- 
* Besse. t Memoirs, p. 48. 

F 



62 

der the great seal, erecting his lands of 
Ury into a Free Barony, with civil and 
criminal jurisdiction, to him and his 
heirs. * This charter was afterwards ra- 
tified by an act of parliament ; the pre- 
amble of which states it to be i for the 
1 many services done by Colonel David 
1 Barclay, and his son, the said Robert 
4 Barclay, to the king and his most 
6 royal progenitors in times past. 5 The 
barony, however, with all similar juris- 
dictions, was extinguished, on the altera- 
tion made in the system of the govern- 
ment of Scotland.f 

In the year 1679, J he again visited 
Holland ; but of this visit no particulars 

* It seems remarkable that R. Barclay should 
•wish to encumber himself with the administra- 
tion of either criminal or civil justice, at a time 
when many of its laws and forms were inconsist- 
ent with the profession he was making. His mo- 
tives probably were, the expectation of possess- 
ing some personal privilege, and the hope of pre- 
venting, in some instances, the reference of 
causes to the decision of less upright judges. 

t By Act 20, Geo. 2. cap. 43. 

| Memoirs, p. 48. 



63 

have been made public. Some business 
carried him the next year to Edinburgh ; 
and, on this occasion, he received a 
friendly letter from the Duke of York, 
and two others from the Earl of Perth. 
These letters mark the writers' respect 
and regard for Robert Barcl;\y : but 
as they do not explain his employment, 
at the time they were written, it is not 
necessary to present them to the reader. 
An extract from one of them from the 
Earl of Perth, may, however, be worth 
attention. It is as follows. — 4 I am glad 
4 to hear from you ; and should be much 
4 more so to do you any service. I hope 
4 you believe better things of me, than 
4 that I would be much disappointed with 
4 the instability of human condition. I 
4 do not look upon any thing here as so 
4 fixed as to be worthy of too much con- 
4 cern, or capable to bear weight. I will 
4 resolve to be what God pleases, a plow- 
4 man or a courtier, or what else may be 
4 most for his honour. 



64 

In 1682,* Robert Barclay was again 
in London. He was then appointed go- 
vernor of East Jersey in North Ameri- 
ca, by the proprietors of that province, of 
whom his friend the Earl of Perth, was 
one. He was also himself made a pro- 
prietor; and had allotted to him 500Q 
acres of land above his proprietary 
share,t that he might grant them to 
others at his pleasure. These were in- 
ducements held out for his accepting the 
government. Charles 2d. confirmed the 
grant of the government ; and the royal 
commission states that 4 such are his 
4 known fidelity and capacity, that he has 
4 the government during life; but that 
4 no other governor after him shall have 
4 it longer than for three years.' He had 
also authority to appoint a deputy-go- 

* Memoirs, 51. 

f The words of the ' Memoirs' are c To in- 
' duce him to accept thereof, they gifted him a 
; propriety, with five thousand acres more, for 
4 him to bestow as he should think fit.' p. 51. 



65 

vernor, with a salary of four hundred 
pounds per annum, a sum equal to a thou- 
sand pounds, or more, according to the 
value of money at the present time. It 
does not appear that any salary was an- 
nexed to the station which he himself fil- 
led, so that patronage, rather than riches, 
appears to have been the immediate ef- 
fect of the grant. In consequence of his 
newly acquired power, he appointed 
Gawen Laurie, a merchant of London, 
deputy-governor ;* but he never visited 
the province himself. His brother John,f 
the colonel's second son, settled in East 
Jersey ; and the third son, Robert's 
youngest brother, a youth of great hopes, 
died on the voyage, in which he had em- 
barked with a similar intention. This 
was the son whom David Barclay, on his 

* The same G. Laurie, to whom, jointly with 
William Penn and Nicolas Lucas, West Jersey 
had been assigned for the benefit of the creditors 
of Bylinge, the proprietor. Morse's American 
Geography. 

t Memoirs, 53. 
F 2 



66 

death-bed, spoke of with particular affec- 
tion,* 

The reader will recollect that David 
Barclay had been induced by John Swin- 
ton, a fellow prisoner in the castle of 
Edinburgh, to examine the religious 
principles of Friends. f This John Swin- 
ton had been attainted by the parliament 
of Scotland, prior to the overthrow of 
the regal government ; and, on its re-es- 
tablishment, committed to prison in con- 
sequence of that attainder* J In the mean 
time he had adopted the profession of 
Friends ; and when at length he was 
brought to trial, and called on to show 
cause why he should not receive sen- 
tence according to his attainder, he 
waved some strong and valid pleas in 
point of law, which he might have made ; 
and replied, that at the time his crimes 
were imputed to him ' he was in the 
" gall of bitterness, and bond of iniqui- 

* See page 12. f Page 10. 

\ Biog. Brit, Barclay. 



er 

ty;" but that, God having since called 
* him to the light, he saw and acknow- 
ledged his past errors ; and did not re- 
fuse to pay the forfeit of them, even 
4 though (in the opinion of his judges) 
4 this should extend to his life.' He was 
however recommended to the king's mer- 
cy, and his life was preserved ; but it is 
probable that his estates, which were for- 
feited at the Restoration, were not re- 
stored to him ; since we find Robert 
Barclay, soon after his return from 
London in 1682,* assisting Swinton with 
his interest and purse at Edinburgh : 
thus answering practically and freely the 
apostolic expostulation (1 Cor. ix. 11. ), 
by permitting Swinton to reap carnal 
things, who had sown spiritual things to 
his family. 

The remainder of the life of Robert 
Barclay is not marked with many in- 
stances of public action. Much of it ap- 
pears to have been passed in tranquillity, 

* Memoirs, 51. 



68 

and in the bosom of his family ; yet he 
occasionally made some journeys to pro- 
mote his private concerns, to serve his 
relations and neighbours, or to maintain 
the cause of his brethren in religious pro- 
fession. On his return from a journey 
to the neighbourhood of London, where 
he had been settling his son at the board- 
ing school, then kept by George Keith, 
at Theobalds in Hertfortshire, his life 
appears to have been in some danger from 
the attack of a highwayman.* His wife 
had observed him in the morning to be 
more pensive than usual, and he told her 
that he believed some uncommon trial 
would that day befal the company ; 
which consisted of himself, his wife, her 
brother, and Aarent Sonmans, a Dutch- 
man, formerly a merchant in Holland, 
but then resident in Scotland. When the 
robber presented his pistol, Robert 
Barclay calmly asked him l how he 
came to be so rude,' and took him by the 

* Memoirs, 52. 



69 

arm ; on which the robber let the pistol 
drop, and offered him no further vio- 
lence : but his brother-in-law was rifled ; 
and Sonmans received a mortal wound in 
the thigh, though it was thought, rather 
accidentally than by design* He died at 
Stilton a few days afterwards. 

Robert Barclay about this time^ 
appears to have been attentive to the wel- 
fare of East Jersey, by shipping provi- 
sions, and engaging indented servants, at 
Aberdeen. In the year 1685, he was 
again in London ; where he employed 
himself in many acts of friendship, both 
to his brethren in religious profession, 
and to others. He had frequent access to 
the king (James 2d.)f who showed him 
marks of great friendship ; as he had 
done before his accession. Whatever 
might have been the principles of James, 
Barclay, probably influenced by the per- 
sonal kindness he received from him, 
seems to have thought him sincere in his 

* Memoirs, p. 52. t P» 5P. 



professions ; and to have conceived a 
real regard for the misguided and impru- 
dent monarch. 

In 1686"^ he was much solicited by- 
George Fox and some other friends, 
who knew his interest at court, to come 
again to London, and employ himself on 
behalf of the society. Though the 
juncture in which their application was 
made, was not a time of persecution, (for 
that had ceased on the accession of 
James 2d,) yet the legal incapacity of 
our friends in consequence of their re- 
fusing to swear ; and the ruinous pro- 
cesses, which were generally instituted 
against them for tithes, even of small 
amount ; together with the little securi- 
ty which they felt, whilst the penal laws 
were only suspended by a power which 
they knew to be incompetent ; all these 
considerations naturally induced them to 
desire that their ease mightrest on a surer 

* Memoirs, 54. 



n 

basis. That they really locked to par- 
liament for a radical redress of their 
wrongs, appears by the following clause 
of the address from the Yearly Meeting 
in 1687. ^ We hope the good effects 
4 thereof (the king's declaration of indul- 
4 gence) may produce such a concurrence 
4 from the parliament as will secure it to 
4 our posterity.^ As Barclay, in com- 
pliance with the request of Fox and his 
friends, left home in the Second month 
(April) that year, there is little doubt 
that he was present at the Yearly Meet- 
ing, which was sitting the 19th of the 
Third month, as appears by the date of 
the address. 

The applications of the friends in Lon- 
don to Robert Barclay, had been 
made many months before he concluded 
to come to that city, and soon after the 
accession of the king. It may not be 

* Gough, Vol. iii. p. 194. 

t This address is particularly mentioned, be- 
cause a spurious one to James 2d. has been at- 
tributed to the Quakers. 



72 

improper to insert, on this occasion, part 
of the letter from George Fox, with a 
postscript written by two other friends, as 
testimonials of their love, and of the 
sense which his friends had of his useful- 
ness, and alacrity in serving the cause he 
had espoused. 

*< Edmonton, 19th of the 5th month, 1686. 
* The occasion of my writing to thee 
4 at this time is, that Friends were very 
* sensible of the great service thou hadst 
4 concerning the Truth, with the king and 
4 all the court ; and that thou hadst their 
c ear more than any friend, when here, 
4 and freedom and liberty on Friends' 
4 and Truth's behalf. And now, dear 
4 Robert, we understanding that the oc- 
4 casion of thy sudden return concern- 
4 ing the condition thy wife was in, being 
4 now over by her being delivered, I de- 
4 sire thee, and it is the desire of several 
4 other friends, that, whilst the door is 

* Memoirs, p. 54. 



73 

6 open and the way so plain, thou wouldst 
4 be pleased to come to London with 
4 speed, or as soon as may be. There is 
* a great service in thy coming, upon se- 
4 veral accounts, more than I shall men- 
4 tion at this time ; and so I hope the 
4 Lord will incline thy heart to weigh 
4 and consider thy service in it. 

London, 22d of the 5th month, 1686. 
4 Dear Robert, 
4 The within desire of George Fox is 
4 also the desire of us, and we think of all 
4 the friends here : we therefore hope 
4 thou wilt do the needful therein. 
4 We are thy real friends, 
4 John Osgood, 
4 Francis Camfield.' 

Let no reader be so fastidious as to 
contemn the simple style of George Fox. 
Though unlettered, he possessed a sound 
judgment and a quick apprehension. But 
had he been, and were many more of the 
advocates for the inward light of Christ, 
and for a self-denying life, deficient in 



74 

acuteness of understanding, this would 
not detractTrom their virtue, nor from the 
purity and excellence of religion. If the 
offices of religion are often filled by per- 
sons not distinguished by superior mental 
acquisitions,* one cause of it may be, the 
too frequent refusal of talents and learning 
to bend in subjection to the humbling 
power of the cross. It seems difficult to quit 
this subject without expressing an ardent 
wish, that, amidst the career of prospe- 
rity, and the captivating charms of indul- 
gence, some reader may be found who 
may be willing here to pause ; to consi- 
der, with Barclay, 4 that the height of 
4 all happiness is placed in the true know- 
4 ledge of God ;f and to inquire serious- 
ly of the Divine witness in the heart, 
4 Am I really concerned to obtain, and to 
4 preserve this knowledge ; or, is it the 
4 whole, or the chief, business of my life, 
4 to pursue things of a temporal nature?' 

* See a remarkable Case, in Apol. Prop. 10. 
§. 19, towards the end. See also §. 23. for Bar- 
clay's own experience. 

t Apol. Prop. 1. 



75 

During this time of Robert Bar- 
clay's abode in the metropolis, he pre- 
sented to the king an address of acknow- 
ledgment from the General Meeting of 
Friends at Aberdeen. He also visited 
the seven bishops, then confined in the 
Tower for having refused to distribute, 
in their respective dioceses, the king's 
declaration for liberty of conscience 
and for having represented to the king 
the grounds of their objection to the 
measure. The popular opinion was in 
favour of the bishops :* yet the the for- 
mer severities of some of that order 
against dissenters, particularly against 
Friends, occasioned some reflections on 
them \ which, coming to the knowledge 
of the imprisoned bishops, they declared 
that the Quakers had belied them, by re- 
porting that they had been the death of 
some. Robert Barclay being inform- 
ed of this declaration, went to the Tower ; 
and gave the bishops a well substantiated 
account of some persons having been de- 
tained in prison till death, by order of 
• Gough, Vol. iii. p. 198. 



76 

bishops, though they had been apprized 
of the danger by physicians who were 
not Quakers.^ He, however, observed to 
the bishops, that it was by no means the 
intention of Friends to publish such 
events, and thereby give the king, and 
their other adversaries, any advantage 
against them. 

Robert Barclay was in London for 
the last time in the memorable year 
1688. f He visited James 2d. ; and be- 
ing with him near a window, the king 
looked out, and observed, that 4 the wind 

* Was then fair ior the prince of Orange to 
4 come over.' Robert Barclay replied 
' it was hard that no expedient could be 
6 found to satisfy the people.' Thekingde- 
clared ' he would do any thing becoming 

* a gentleman, except parting with liber- 
4 ty of conscience, which he never would 
1 whilst he lived.' At this time Barclay 

* This was a period of intolerance which has 
given place to a more enlightened and Christian 
temper. It is but justice to say, that the clergy 
in general possess a liberality of sentiment, very 
different from the spirit of that day. 

t Memoirs. 



77 

took a final leave of the king, for whose 
troubles he was much concerned ; and 
with whom he had been several times en- 
gaged in serious discourse, on the pos- 
ture of affairs at that time. 

After he returned from London, he 
spent the remainder of his life, being 
about two years, chiefly at home ; where 
he enjoyed the esteem and regard of his 
neighbours, apd the comforts of domestic 
society. In the year 1690, he accompa- 
nied James Dickinson, a minister from 
Cumberland, in a religious visit to some, 
parts of the north of Scotland; and soon 
after his return from this visit, he was 
seized with a violent fever, which, in a 
short time, put a period to his life. James 
Dickinson was with him at the time of 
his illness. It was a solemn season ; and 
their spirits were deeply affected with a 
sense of the Divine goodness. Robert 
Barclay, though much oppressed by the 
disorder, was in a truly resigned, peace- 
ful, and Christian frame of mind. lie 
expressed his love to all faithful Friends 



78 

in England, and to all the faithful every- 
where ; particularly to friends in Cum- 
berland where James Dickinson resided, 
and to George Fox, for whom he had a 
special regard ; and concluded with these 
comfortable expressions : 4 God is good 
4 still : and though I am tinder a great 
4 weight of sickness and weakness, yet 
4 my peace flows. This I know, that 
4 whatever exercises may be permitted to 
4 come upon me, they shall tend to God's 
4 glory, and my salvation : and in that I 
4 rest.'* — He died the 3d of the 8th 
month, (October,) in the year 1690, and 
in the 42d year of his age. His body was 
attended to the grave at Ury, by many 
of the most respectable persons in the 
neighbourhood. 

Before the conclusion of this part of 
the account respecting Robert Bar- 
clay, it will probably be agreeable to the 
reader, to survey the qualities and virtues 
of this respectable man, drawn together 
and placed in a single point of view. 

* Piety Promoted. Gough, 3d vol. p. 247, 



79 

From the testimonies of George Fox, 
William Penn, Patrick Livingstone, and 
Andrew JafFray, men who knew him 
well ; and from his life and writings ; the 
following character of Robert Barclay 
is faithfully delineated. 

He was distinguished by strong men- 
tal powers, particularly by great penetra- 
tion, and a sound and accurate judgment. 
His talents were much improved by a re- 
gular and classical education* It does 
not, however, appear that his superior 
qualifications produced that elation of 
mind, which is too often their attendant : 
he was meek, humble, and ready to allow 
others the merit they possessed. All his 
passions were under the most excellent 
government. Two of his intimate friends, 
in their character of him, declare, that 
they never knew him to be angry. He 
had the happiness of early perceiving the 
infinite superiority of religion, to every 
other attainment ; and Divine grace ena- 
bled him to dedicate his life, and all that 
he possessed, to promote the cause of 



80 

piety and virtue. For the welfare of his 
friends, he was sincerely and warmly con- 
cerned : and he travelled, and wrote 
much, as well as suffered cheerfully, in 
support of the society and the principles 
to which he had conscientiously attached 
himself. But this was not a blind and bi- 
goted attachment. His zeal was tem- 
pered with charity ; and he loved and re- 
spected goodness wherever he found it. 
His uncorrupted integrity and liberality 
of sentiment, his great abilities and the 
sauvity of his disposition, gave him much 
interest with persons of rank and in- 
fluence; and he employed it in a manner 
that marked the benevolence of his heart. 
He loved peace ; and was often instru- 
mental in settling disputes, and in pro- 
ducing reconciliation between contend- 
ing parties. 

In the support and pursuit of what he 
believed to be right, he possessed great 
firmness of mind ; which was early evinced 
in the pious and dutiful sentiment he ex- 
pressed to his uncle, who tempted him 



81 

with great offers to remain in France, 
against the desire of his father : 4 He is 
4 my father, (said he,) and he must be 
1 obeyed.' All the virtues harmonize, 
and are connected with one another: 
this firm and resolute spirit in the prose- 
cution of duty, was united with great sym- 
pathy and compassion towards persons in 
affliction and distress. They were con- 
soled by his tenderness, assisted by his 
advice, and occasionally relieved by his 
bounty. His spiritual discernment and 
religious experience, directed by that Di- 
vine influence which he valued above all 
things, eminently qualified him to in- 
struct the ignorant, to reprove the irre- 
ligious, to strengthen the feeble minded, 
and to animate the advanced Christian to 
still greater degrees of virtue and holi- 
ness. 

In private life, he was equally amiable. 
His conversation was cheerful, guarded, 
and instructive. He was a dutiful son, 
an affe'ctionate and faithful husband, a 
tender and careful father, a kind and con- 



82 

siderate master. — Without exaggeration, 
it may be said, that piety and virtue were 
recommended by his example ; and that, 
though the period of his life was short, 
he had, by the aid of Divine grace, most 
wisely and happily improved it. He lived 
long enough to manifest, in an eminent 
degree, the temper and conduct of a 
Christian, and the virtues and qualifica- 
tions of a true minister of the Gospel, 



PART II. 

His writings — the time and motives of 
their publication — and a brief descrip* 
tisn of their contents. 

ROBERT BARCLAY'S first appear- 
ance as an author, was about the 22d 
year of his age. The work bears the fol- 
lowing title : 4 Truth cleared of ca- 
* lumnies: wherein a book entitled u A 
44 dialogue between a Quaker and a sta- 
44 ble Christian 55 (printed at Aberdeen, 
4 and, upon good ground, judged to be 
4 writ by William Mitchell, a preacher 
4 near it) is examined, and the disinge- 
4 nuity of the author in his representing 
4 the Quakers is discovered; their case 
4 truly stated, cleared, demonstrated, and 
4 the objections of their opposers an- 
4 swered, according to truth, scripture, 
4 and right reason. 5 The title page be- 
speaks the intention of the work ; and it 
may be only necessary to add, that the 
dialogue to which it is an answer, seems 



84 

to have been the result of a controversy 
that had long been maintained between 
the friends in Aberdeen, and some of 
the clergy ; the latter having endea- 
voured to represent them as holding doc- 
trines injurious to religion. The reader 
may find in Baclay's 4 Truth cleared of 
1 Calumnies,' some of those leading 
points of the doctrine of Friends, han- 
dled in a concise manner, which are 
more diffusely treated in some of his sub- 
sequent works. To this book was added, 
in the same year, a postscript, entitled 
4 Some things of weighty concernment, 
4 proposed in meekness and love, by way 
4 of queries to the serious consideration 
4 of the inhabitants of Aberdeen ; which 
4 may also be of use to such as are of the 
4 same mind with them elsewhere in this 
4 nation.' The questions are twenty in 
number. Some of them pointedly relate 
to the controversy on foot ; others are of 
a more general nature ; and all are worth 
the perusal of such as engage in re- 
ligious disputes. 



8S 

Wm. Mitchell, the supposed author 
of the anonymous c Dialogue,' having 
thought fit to reply to our author's 4 Truth 
4 cleared from Calumnies,' gave him oc- 
casion to publish in 1672* his piece cal- 
led 'William Mitchell Unmasked: or 
4 the staggering instability of the pre- 
4 tended stable Christian discovered ; 
4 his omissions observed, and weakness 
4 unveiled, in his late faint and feeble ani- 
4 madversions, by way of reply to a book 
4 entitled u Truth cleared of Calum- 
4 nies ;" wherein the integrity of the 
4 Quakers' doctrine is the second time 
4 justified and cleared from the reiterated 
4 clamorous, but causeless calumnies of 
4 this cavilling catechist.' From such a 
title, a closer conflict might be expected \ 
and this we find was the case. William 
Penn in his preface to Barclay's works, 
speaking of this book, observes that 4 the 
4 dispute rises high, and the contest seems 

* At the age of 24. 
H 



86 

' sharp and close ; but to every impartial 
4 reader the advantage evidently runs on 
4 our author's side, who appears rather 
c zealous than heated, and sharper on 
4 his enemy's matter than person ; for 
4 he father pities his enemy, than tri- 
4 umphs over his weakness and envy. 
4 Here, as in an exact draught, the read- 
4 er has an account of the fabulous prin- 
4 ciples given under our names, and those 
4 that we really profess ; and the pleasure 
4 even men pretending to religion take to 
4 render a poor self-denying people that 
4 which they are not ; as if they feared 
4 we should be in the right, or hold prin- 
4 ciples nearer to what they themselves 
4 profess to believe, than is convenient 
4 for their interest with the people to al- 
4 low; lest that, together with the sobriety 
4 their [our] worst enemies allow to be so 
4 conspicuous among them [W], should 
4 give them [us"j too great a credit with 
4 their hearers.' — The editor of the Bio- 
graphia Britannica characterizing this 
performance of Barclay, says, 4 In this 



87 

€ work our author discovers an amazing 
4 variety of learning ; which shows how 
4 good a use he made of his time at 
4 Paris, and how thorough a master he 
4 was of the scriptures, the fathers, and 
4 ecclesiastical history ; and with how 
4 much skill and judgment he applied 
4 them. 5 

In these two books, namely 4 Truth 
4 cleared of Calumnies,' and 4 William 
4 Mitchell Unmasked,' will be found the 
buddings of much of that sound argu- 
ment, which afterwards grew to so vigor- 
ous a degree of strength in Barclay's 
famous Apology. 

Our author's next publication was a 
half sheet, entitled 4 A seasonable warn- 
4 ing and serious exhortation to, and ex- 
4 postulation with, the inhabitants of 
4 Aberdeen, concerning this present dis- 
4 pensation, and day of God's living vi- 
4 sitation towards them.' From this pa- 
per I have given an extract at page 25 y 
relative to the author's message in sack- 
cloth. Some queries respecting that mat- 



88 

ter having been dispersed in Aberdeen, 
an answer to them was also published, 
which appears as a postscript to the 
4 Seasonable Warning, 5 in the collection 
of Barclay's works. From this post- 
script, it is evident that Robert Bar- 
clay had the unity and concurrence of 
his friends on the occasion of his morti- 
fying errand ; and that he was accompa- 
nied by some of them. 

Now, quitting for a while the field of 
controversy, our author compiled and 
published his Catechism and Confession 
of Faith ; a work which has gone through 
several editions in English, and one in 
Latin. The first edition is that of 1673. 
The society of Friends had been repre- 
sented as villifying and denying the scrip- 
tures; 4 to disprove which,' says Bar- 
clay addressing himself to the reader, 
4 this catechism and confession of faith 
' are compiled and brought to thy view' 

4 In answer to the questions, there is 

4 not one word, that I know of, placed, 
4 but the express words of scripture.' 



89 

Accordingly the work is called 4 A Cat- 
4 echism and Confession of Faith, ap- 
4 proved of and agreed unto by the gene- 
4 ral assembly of the patriarchs, prophets, 
4 and apostles, Christ himself chief 
4 speaker in and among them : which 
4 containeth a true and faithful account 
4 of the principles and doctrines which 
4 are most surely believed by the church- 
4 es of Christ in Great Britain and Ire- 
4 land, who are reproachfully called by 
4 the name of Quakers ; yet are found in 
4 the one faith with the primitive church 
4 and saints : as is most clearly demon- 
4 strated by some plain scripture testimo- 
4 nies, (without consequences or com- 
4 mentaries,) which are here collected 
4 and inserted by way of answer to a few 
4 weighty, yet easy and familiar ques«* 
4 tions, fitted as well for the wisest and 
4 largest, as for the weakest and lowest, 
4 capacities. To which are added an ex- 
f postulation with, and appeal to, all other 
4 professors.' As the days in which we 
live are marked by bold attempts to vilify 
h 2 



90 

the scriptures ; and as even under our 
profession there have been persons, who 
have endeavoured to bring them into dis- 
credit, thinking to succeed the more easi- 
ly with a people who believe in the su- 
perior excellence of the Spirit; it is pe- 
culiarly interesting to behold in what 
light Robert Barclay, the able as- 
serter of that superior excellence, view- 
ed the scriptures. It is further interest- 
ing, because some persons have ima- 
gined that Robert Barclay himself 
countenanced opinions not favourable to 
the Divine authority of the scriptures. 
His works nevertheless teem with refer- 
ences to scripture authority. He never 
shrinks from the test of scripture, on dis- 
puted points ; and in the present work 
he declares that it is his design to let the 
simple words of scripture, uncommented 
on, be the advocates of the cause which 
he espouses. 

After the publication of the Cate- 
chism, it appears that the next production 
of our author's pen, was, his ' Theses 



91 

Theological of which further mention 
will be made. In the year 1675 he publish- 
ed at Rotterdam a piece in Latin, against 
Nicolas Arnold, professor in the Univer- 
sity of Franequer, in Friesland, one of the 
of the United Provinces, who had contro- 
verted his Theses. This piece is entitled, 
4 Christians quaedam animadversiones 
4 in Nicholai Arnoldi (qui S. S. theolo- 
4 gise Doctor et Proffes. se praecedat) ex- 
4 ercitationem theologicam de Quaker- 
4 ismo, ejusque brevis refutation 

It is addressed as follows, 4 Omnibus 
4 totius Belgii, et presertim Academiae 
4 Franequaeranae, doctoribus, professori- 
4 bus, et studiosis, Robertus B arclaiits 
4 Divini Spiritiis illuminationem uberio- 
4 rem ad intelligentiam veritatis, animon- 
4 que ad eamplectandam proclivem ex- 
4 optat.'f 

* Some Christian remarks on the Theolo- 
gical Exercitation on Quakerism of Nicolas Ar- 
nold, (who styles himself doctor and professor of 
divinity) and a short refutation of it. 

t To all the doctors, proffessors, and students, 
in the Netherland, more especially to those of 
the university of Franequer, Robert Barclay 



92 

The same year he gave to the public, 
i A true and faithful account of the most 
4 material passages of a dispute betwixt 
c some students of divinity (so called) of 
' the university of Aberdeen, and the 
c people called Quakers.' The issue of 
this dispute has been already mention- 
ed (p. 30). The disputing students had 
also published an account of it, in a 
piece entitled * Quakerism canvassed ;' 
which occasioned a reply from Barclay 
and his friends, under the title of 4 Qua- 
kerism confirmed' in two parts, both 
dated 1676. To the latter are subjoined 
three certificates, from four persons pre- 
sent at the dispute, who, it also appears, 
were the same that were convinced by 
means of the impressions then made on 
their minds. The character, therefore, 
of these latter publications of Barclay 
may be learned from the students' certifi- 
cates : which are as follow. 

•wisheth a fuller illumination of the Divine Spirit, 
for the understanding of the Truth, and a mind 
disposed to embrace it. 



93 

4 We the underscribers, late students 
4 of philosophy in the university of Aber- 
4 deen, being present at the dispute, do 
4 faithfully declare, that the students 
4 have grossly belied the Quakers in their 
4 account, making them to speak that 
4 which they spake not ; and also forging 
4 arguments and answers not mentioned 
4 upon the place. And though we had 
4 no intention at that time to own the 
4 people called Quakers, yet we dare not 
4 but declare that their answer and beha- 
4 viour had no small influence upon us, to 
4 make us in love with their way, and to 
* search after it more diligently : as also 
4 the students' arguments and lightness 
4 did not a little tend to make us disgust 
4 them and their principles. And albeit 
4 that inward peace and satisfaction of 
4 mind, which we enjoy in the truth we 
4 now profess with that despised and in- 
jured people, doth make us bless the 
4 day in which it pleased God to bring us 
4 among them ; yet we are not a little 
4 confirmed in the belief of this reproach- 



94 

4 ed testimony and witnesses, that we 
4 find the strongest arguments their ad- 
1 versaries have against them are lies and 
4 calumnies. And this we testify for 
4 the Truth, whom the Truth hath taught 
4 not to lie. 

4 Robert Sandilands, 
4 James Alexander. 5 

4 And I also declare, who (being a 
4 student at that time in the Old Town 
4 College) was present at the dispute and 
4 heard the same with attention, that the 
4 students have grossly belied the Qua- 
4 kers in many things in their account. 
4 And although that since it hath pleased 
1 God to join me unto that people, yet at 
4 that time I had no mind to be of their 
4 way. However when I saw their ac- 
4 count I did approve it as ingenuous, as 
4 now I also do, and disapprove the stu- 
4 dents as false in many things. 

4 Alexander Seaton.' 

4 And I likewise (being a student in 
4 the New Town College) at that time 



95 

4 was present at the dispute, and do de« 

* clare that the students' folly and light- 

* ness had no small influence upon me to 
4 search more narrowly into the way of 
4 that people ; which it pleased the Lord 
4 to bless unto me, so that the eyes of my 
4 understanding came to be opened, and 
4 1 came fully to be convinced of the 
4 truth of their principles and way ; to 
4 which now by the mercy of the Lord I 
4 am joined ; and do find by comparing 
4 the two accounts together, that the stu- 
4 dents have wronged the people called 
4 Quakers in divers things, as the stu- 
4 dents' self contradictions do sufficiently 
4 show. 

4 Alexander Paterson.' 

This appears to have been a busy time 
with Robert Barclay ; for in the 
same year were published his 4 Anarchy 
of the Ranters,' and his 4 Apology.' 
The latter was as yet only submitted to 
the learned world, being printed in La- 
tin at Amsterdam. Let us therefore 
suspend our review of it, and advert to 



96 

the other book, the title of which at large 
is * The Anarchy of the Ranters, and 
4 other libertines, the Hierarchy of the 
* Romanists, and other pretended 
4 churches, equally refused and re- 
futed: in a two-fold apology for 
4 the church and people of God cal- 
4 led in derision Quakers. Wherein 
4 they are vindicated from those that ac- 
4 cuse them of confusion and disorder on 
4 the one hand, and from such as calum- 
4 niate them with tyranny and imposition 
4 on the other ; showing that as the true 
4 and pure principles of the gospel are re- 
4 stored by their testimony ; so is also 
4 the ancient apostolic order of the church 
4 of Christ re-established among them, 
4 and settled upon its right basis and 
4 foundation.' The scope of this work 
may be discovered by its title ; but it is 
useful to know that Friends, at that time, 
were calumniated by their adversaries as 
a people who, under colour of private in- 
ternal direction, were laying waste good 
order; whilst by some dissatisfied per- 



sir 

sons among themselves, they were ac* 
cused of violating the rights of private 
judgment, and restraining the operations 
of the spirit in individuals, by the disci- 
pline which had been set up among them. 
The author therefore endeavours to re- 
concile the province of the body with the 
privileges of individuals ; and he does it 
in a masterly manner. The work has pas- 
sed through several impressions ; and as 
its title when abridged to the few words, 
" The Anarchy of the Ranters," conveys 
little or no information of its contents, 
the Yearly Meeting lately ordered an ad- 
ditional title to be prefixed, namely, 4 A 
4 Treatise on Christian Discipline.' It is 
a work worthy of general perusal ; and 
particularly claims the attention of all per- 
sons, who think it is their duty to be ac- 
tive, in supporting and executing the dis- 
cipline of the church. In the collection 
of Barclay's works there is an explana- 
tory postscript (written in prison in 
1679,) occasioned by the opposition of 
Rogers, already mentioned (pp. 48, 49), 
I 



98 

which exhibits our author in an amiable 
view.^ 

The Theses Theologicae have been al- 
ready mentioned. They have been print- 
ed in Latin, French, German, Dutch, 
and English. One of the English edi- 
tions bears the title of 4 The principles 
4 of true Christianity and sound divinity 
4 asserted.* They are addressed as fol- 
lows. 4 To the clergy of what sort so- 
c ever, unto whose hands these may 
' come ; but more particularly to the doc- 
4 tors, professors, and students of divini- 

* ty, in the universities and schools of 
1 Great Britain, whether prelatical, pres- 
4 byterian, or any other, Kc^be^t Bar- 

* clay, a servant of the Lord God, and 
4 one of those who in derision are called 

* Quakers, wisheth unfeigned repentance 
4 to the acknowledgment of the truth. 5 
These theses or propositions are fifteen 

* It appears from a paper subjoined that the 
Anarchy of the Ranters had been approved by 
the Morning Meeting at London ; -which meet- 
ing had then been established about three years. 



99 

in number. The following are the sub- 
jects of them. 

h Concerning the true foundation of 
knowledge. 

2 Immediate Revelation. 

3 the Scriptures. 

4 Condition of Man in 

the fall. 
5 - & 6 the Universal Redemp- 
tion by Christ, and also 
the saving and spiritual 
light, wherewith every 
man is enlightened, 
7. *-•.-... Justification. 

8 Perfection. 

9 Perseverance, and the 

possibility of falling 
from Grace. 

la the Ministry. 

11 Worship. 

12 Baptism. 

13 the Communion or par- 

ticipation of the body 
and blood of Christ. 
14 th e power of the civil 



100 

magistrate in matters 
purely religious and ap- 
pertaining to the con- 
science. 
15. Concerning Salutations and Recre- 
ations, &c. 
On these subjects the author proposes 
his sentiments, and explains them in con- 
formity with the principles of Friends. 

The propositions, being sent forward 
into the world, were well received beyond 
the author's expectation; and proved the 
means of removing some false and mon- 
strous opinions which had been imbibed 
against the society. Actuated therefore 
by the like design of propagating the 
truth, and believing himself equally in- 
fluenced by the Divine Spirit, he judged 
it proper to explain his propositions 
somewhat more largely, and to defend 
them with arguments ; and this produced 
his celebrated Apology. 

It is entitled 4 An Apology for the 
4 true Christian divinity, as the same is 
* held forth, and preached, by the people 



101 

4 called in scorn Quakers ; being a full 
4 explanation and vindication of their 

* principles and doctrines, by many argu- 
4 ments deduced from Scripture and 
4 right reason, and the testimonies of fa- 
4 mous authors, both ancient and mo- 
4 dern : with a full answer to the strong- 
4 est objections usually made against 
4 them. Presented to the king.' In this 
work the fifteen propositions (except the 
5th and 6th, which are examined toge- 
ther) are separately examined and 
proved. The author's general method is 
to state clearly the position which he is 
about to prove ; afterwards to adduce 
one or more scripture texts, which either 
plainly affirm the truth of what he has 
laid down, or from which it may be na- 
turally, fairly, and clearly deduced by an 
argument ; which he generally puts in 
the form of a syllogism.^ He afterwards 
adds the testimonies of other authors of 

* For example. Sin is imputed to none where 
there is no law. 

But, To infants there is no law. 
Therefore, Sin is not imputed to them. Prop, 
4. § 4. 12 



102 

approved reputation in support of the doc- 
trine which he is proving; and lastly 
states the objections to it that have been 
made, or that might be made ; which he 
likewise answers by syllogistical argu- 
ments drawn from Scripture, or from self- 
evident truths, acknowedged by all. 

The Theses contain the author's ge- 
neral opinions under each head, or divi- 
sion of the Apology ; but in order to 
show, in this place, what those opinions 
are, it may not be amiss to exhibit an out- 
line of what the reader may expect to 
find treated in a finished and masterly 
manner in this instructive, celebrated, 
and it may even be said, entertaining 
work. In truth, the road of religion is 
not without flowers ; and it should be re- 
membered, that the thorns which are 
found in it, have sprung from our own 
corruptions, or from the vices of others. 
When the course of religion is unob- 
structed, or when the obstructions are 
overcome, her ways are still ways of plea* 
santness, and all her paths peace. It is 



103 

occupation which forms much of the 
pleasure of the mind ; when men resolve 
not to occupy themselves with trifles, and 
with such pursuits as neither make them 
wiser nor better, they may find genuine 
entertainment ill the performance of their 
duty ; and in the perusal of books writ- 
ten on subjects which pertain to life and 
salvation. Here the mind is not only oc- 
cupied and entertained, but also invigo^ 
rated. 

On the subject of the First Proposi- 
tion, our author asserts that the true foun- 
dation of knowledge consists in being ac- 
quainted with God ; an assertion which, 
as he supposes it will generally be grant- 
ed, he does not stop long to explain. Im- 
mediate revelation is held up in the Se- 
cond Proposition : and Barclay not on- 
ly shows the necessity of it, for obtaining 
that true knowledge which is mentioned 
in the First ; but proves that the doc- 
trine was held by the early teachers of 
Christianity ; and that the revelation for 
which he pleads, is only to be obtained in 



104 

and by Christ, through the Spirit* This 
part of the Apology also contains (§ 5.) 
Robert Barclay's faith as to the eter- 
nal divinity of Christ. 

The Apologist begins the Third Pro- 
position, treating of the Scriptures, with 
declaring them to be the most excellent 
writings in the world ; to which not only no 
other writings are to be preferred, but even 
in divers respects are not comparable. Ne- 
vertheless he asserts that it is the Spirit 
that must apply them for our benefit, and 
must still be the primary rule of Chris- 
tians. He then guards against the com- 
mon objection, that hereby the Scriptures 
are rendered useless ; and shows that as 
they have proceeded from the revelation 
of the Divine Spirit in the writers, they 
can never be contradicted by the revela- 
tion of the same Spirit in the mind of any- 
He is willing that all doctrines and prac- 
tices should be tried by them ; and that 
whatever any persons, pretending to the 
Spirit, do contrary to the Scriptures, 
should be taken for delusion. 



105 

In the Fourth Proposition are unfold- 
ed the views of Robert Barclay re- 
specting the State of man in the fall. He 
denies the imputation of sin to infants, 
on account of Adam's transgression, un- 
til they join with the seed of evil in them- 
selves by their own actual transgression ; 
yet he maintains that all men are prone 
to sin, and cannot derive, from their fal- 
len progenitor, any power to overcome it. 
A seed of sin he confesses to be trans- 
mitted to all men from Adam ; but he 
prefers to call it by the scriptural terms 
of Death, the Old man, the old Adam, ra- 
ther than by the Calvanistic term of Ori- 
ginal Sin; which notion he thinks has gi- 
ven rise to that of imputing sin to infants. 
In the two following Propositions, the 
Fifth and Sixth, which are considered 
jointly, our author shows the means of 
man's restoration from the fall; and ably 
asserts Universal Redemption by Christy 
and the saving and spiritual light where- 
with every man is enlightened. He begins 
with some short, yet sharp, strictures on 



106 

the doctrine of Absolute reprobation, 
which he successfully opposes ; and 
proves the universality of Christ's death, 
and the consequent possibility of salva- 
tion to all. The author lays it down that 
God, who, of his infinite love, sent his 
Son into the world, who tasted death for 
every man, hath given to every man a 
time of visitation, during which he may 
partake of the fruits of Christ's death. 
Secondly, That, to this end God hath gi- 
ven to every man a measure of the light 
of his own Son — a measure of grace — a 
measure of the Spirit. Thirdly, That 
God, in and by this light, invites, calls, 
exhorts, and strives, with every man, in 
order to save him : which light received, 
and not resisted, works the salvation of 
all ; but that it may be resisted, and then 
it becomes man's condemnation. Having 
thus shown that man co-operates in the 
work of his salvation, he guards against 
derogating from the atonement and sa- 
crifice of Christ ; asserts belief in all that 
is recorded of him in Scripture ; and that 



lor 

remission of sins is only by virtue of that 
most satisfactory sacrifice. The sub- 
jects of these propositions are treated 
diffusely ; and it is therefore difficult to 
do them justice in a sketch of this na- 
ture. 

Justification forms the matter of the 
Seventh Proposition, in which word Ro- 
bert Barclay always includes the idea 
of being made just ; the immediate cause 
of which is the revelation of Jesus Christ 
in the soul, changing and renewing the 
mind : and he cautions all against sup- 
posing themselves justified by virtue of 
Christ's death, while they remain un- 
sanctified in heart, and polluted with sin. 

The doctrine of the Eighth Proposition 
has been much opposed. It asserts the 
possibility of Perfection in this life: 
which perfection is defined to consist in 
a freedom from actual sinning and from 
transgressing the law of God. It is a 
state which admits of a growth ; and 
from which there is a possibility of fall- 
ing. The doctrine of those who plead 



108 

for the impossibility of perfection, and 
for the continuance in sin, during life, 
is opposed at length ; and the perfection 
for which our author pleads is placed in 
the full bringing forth of that pure and 
holy birth, the light cf Christ in the 
soul. 

The Ninth Proposition respects Per- 
severance, and the possibility of falling 
from grace. On these subjects the au- 
thor's judgment may in great measure, 
be inferred from what precedes. Ac- 
cordingly he is short in this part of the 
Apology ; and his sense is, that the 
truth lies betwixt these two extremes, 
viz. the doctrine of such as affirm that 
the least degree of true and saving grace 
cannot be fallen from ; and that of those 
who deny any such stability attainable, as 
that there can be no total and final apostacy 
from it. 

In the Tenth Proposition, we meet 
with a subject on which the Society of 
Friends have appeared to differ more 
from other professors of Christianity, 



109 

than on most other points, namely Gos- 
pel-Ministry. After explaining his sense 
of what constitutes the Church, which 
he defines to be the Society of such as 
God has called out of the worldly spirit, 
to walk in his light and life, he shows 
what is the call of a true minister, as- 
serting it to be the inward power and vir- 
tue of the Spirit of God; and rejects the 
notion of succession from the apostles. 
Having established the call, he lays down 
the qualification of a minister, of which 
he asserts human learning to form no ne- 
cessary part ; but places all in the power, 
life, and virtue of the Holy Spirit. Last- 
ly, he maintains that the true ministers 
should not, cannot, teach for hire ; and 
he opposes the practice of a forced main- 
tenance ; concluding with a lively com- 
parison between the ministry for which 
he pleads, and that for which the op- 
posers of our society plead. This is a 
very interesting part of the Apology, 
and teems with able arguments drawn 
K 



110 

both from the letter and the spirit of 
the gospel. 

Worship is spoken of in the Eleventh 
Proposition. True worship is referred 
to an inward feeling of reverence and de- 
votion, to the exclusion of all ceremonies 
which may be set about in the w r ill of 
man. The author nevertheless takes 
care to assert the necessity of meeting at 
stated times, for worship ; but that, 
when assembled, the great duty of all is 
to retire from their own imaginations, to 
wait to feel the Lord's presence, and to 
know indeed a gathering into his name ; 
where, saith he, the secret virtue of life 
is felt to refresh the soul ; from which 
the acceptable worship is known, which 
edifies the church, and is well pleasing 
to God. The serious reader will proba- 
bly find a secret influence engaging his 
mind to assent, whilst he peruses this 
part of the work ; which certainly claims 
the attention of all who call themselves 
Friends. 

The Twelfth and Thirteenth Proposi- 



Ill 

tions are employed on, what are termed 
the two sacraments, Baptism and the 
Supper. Baptism with water is declared 
not to be the one true baptism of Christ ; 
which is proved to be inward and spirit- 
ual, according to the text, " He shall 
" baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
€i with fire :" and the objections of such 
as hold water baptism to be of perpetual 
obligation, are answered. The body 
and blood of Christ, of which believers 
partake, are asserted to be spiritual and 
not carnal ; and to be really enjoyed as 
often as the soul retires into the light of 
the Lord, and feels and partakes of that 
heavenly life, by which the inward man 
is nourished. The arguments of those 
who contend for the ceremonious use of 
bread and wine, are considered and re- 
futed. 

The Fourteenth Proposition is, con- 
cerning the Power of the civil magistrate 
in matters purely religious, and pertaining 
to the conscience. It may be well con- 
ceived that Barclay here firmly asserts 



112 

the unlawfulness of any attempt to force 
the conscience. At the same time he 
gives no countenances to persons who, 
under pretence of conscience, would 
prejudice their neighbours. 

The fifteenth and last Proposition has 
for its title, Concerning Salutations and 
Recreations, though it also embraces some 
other objects. In it the author shows 
the unlawfulness, to Christians, of using 
flattering titles and compliments— ^-of 
kneeling, prostrating, or bowing the 
body, or uncovering the head to any 
man — of superfluities in apparel for or- 
nament and vanity — of sports, games, 
comedies, vain recreations, &c. — of 
swearing at all — and of resisting evil 
and fighting. On this occasion also, the 
objections of such as plead for those 
things are ably answered ; particularly 
in the case of oaths. 

The Apology was presented, as the title 
expresses, to the king ; to whom an ad- 
dress was prefixed, which, for its manly 
style, religious boldness, and yet decent 



113 

respect, has been much admired. The 
inscription is c Unto Charles 2d. king of 
4 Great Britain, and the dominions there- 
4 unto belonging. 

4 Robert Barclay, a servant of Jesus 
4 Christ, called of God to the dispensa- 
4 tion of the gospel, now again revealed, 
4 and after a long and dark night of apos- 
4 tacy, commanded to be preached to all 
* nations, wisheth health and salvation.' 

The address is long, but not tedious. 
It does not assume, in any part, the ap- 
pearance of a flattering dedication ; and 
the author seems to have been particu- 
lary studious to guard against its being 
thought such. In one place he says, 4 As 
c it is inconsistent with the truth I bear, 
4 so it is far from me, to use this epistle 
4 as an engine to flatter thee, (the usual 
1 design of such works ;) and therefore I 
4 can neither dedicate it to thee, nor 
4 crave thy patronage, as if thereby I 
4 might have more confidence to present 
4 it to the world, or be more hopeful of 

4 its success. To God alone I owe what I 
k 2 



114 

4 have, and that more immediately in 
4 matters spiritual ; and therefore to Him 
4 alone, and to the service of his Truth, I 
4 dedicate whatever work he brings forth 
4 in me ; to whom only the praise and 
4 honour appertain : whose Truth needs 
4 not the patronage of worldly princes, 
4 his arm and power being that alone by 
4 which it is propogated, established, and 
4 confirmed.' 

The concluding paragraphs are re- 
markably simple, strong, and beautiful. 
4 There is,' says our author, c no king in 
4 the world, who can so experimentally 
4 testify of God's providence and good- 
4 ness; neither is there any who rules so 
4 many free people, so many true Chris- 
4 tians : which thing renders thy govern- 
4 ment more honourable, and thyself 
4 more considerable, than the accession of 
4 many nations filled with slavish and su- 
4 perstitious souls. 

4 Thou hast tasted of prosperity and 
4 adversity. Thou knowest what it is to 
4 be banished thy native country ; to be 



115 

4 overruled, as well as to rule, and sit up- 
4 on the throne : and, being oppressed, 
4 thou hast reason to know how hateful 
4 the oppressor is both to God and man. 
4 If, after all these warnings and adver- 
1 tisements, thou dost not turn to the 
4 Lord with all thy heart ; but forget Him 
4 who remembered thee in thy distress, 
* and give up thyself to follow lust and 
4 vanity ; surely, great will be thy con- 
4 demnation. 

4 Against which snare, as well as the 
1 temptation of those, that may, or do, 
4 feed thee and prompt thee to evil, the 
4 most excellent and prevalent remedy 
4 will be, to apply thyself to that light of 
4 Christ which shineth in thy conscience, 
4 which neither can nor will flatter thee, 
4 nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins; 
4 but doth, and will, deal plainly and 
' faithfully with thee ; as those, that are 
4 followers thereof, have also done. 

4 God Almighty, who hath so signally 
i hitherto visited thee with his love, so 
c touch and reach thy heart ere the dav 



116 

c of thy visitation be expired, that thou 
4 mayst effectually turn to him, so as to 

* improve thy place and station for his 

* name. So wisheth, so prayeth, thy 

* faithful friend, and subject. 

1 Robert Barclay/ 

From Ury, the place of my pil- 
grimage, in my native country 
of Scotland, the £5th of the 
month called November, in 
the year 1675. 

For some years previous to the publi- 
cation of the Apology, Friends and their 
adversaries had been engaged in contro- 
versy ; and our author, from his retire- 
ment, had viewed the contest, and ob- 
served the misrepresentations of fact on 
which some of their adversaries' cen- 
sures rested ; as well as weighed the 
strength of the objections, which they 
brought against what they did not misre- 
present. He therefore came forth more 
fully prepared to enter the lists himself. 
That he did so in a most able manner, 
the generally good reception of his book, 
when first published, and its uniform and 



iir 

continued reputation, down to the pre- 
sent day, sufficiently demonstrate ; and 
the important light in which it was viewed 
by those who were averse from the doc- 
trines which it establishes, namely the 
stipendiary teachers, is evident from the 
number of them who endeavoured to con- 
trovert it.* 

The next piece, in order of time,f 
published by Robert Barclay, is enti- 
tled, 4 Universal Love considered, and 
1 established upon its right foundation : 
' being a serious inquiry how far charity 
c may, and ought to be extended towards 
4 persons of different judgments in mat- 

* ters of religion ; and whose principles 

* among the several sects of Christians 
c do most naturally lead to that due mo- 

* As Brown, * Quakerism the pathway to Pa- 
ganism ;' Bajerus, prof, of divinity at Jena ; Hol- 
thusius, a preacher at Francfort ; Reiser, a pas- 
tor at Hamburg ; Keith, i The Quakers' Stand- 
ard Examined ;' Bennett, ' Confutation of Qua- 
kerism,' &c. 

t It is to be observed, that John Whiting's Ca- 
talogue of Friends' Books, pp. 5. 6, 7, is follow- 
ed ; not the series in i Truth Triumphant.' 



118 

* deration required : writ in the spirit of 
i love and meekness, for the removing of 
c stumbing blocks out of the way of the 
4 simple, by a lover of the souls of all men,' 
The author first gives an account of his 
own experience on the subject ; and then 
endeavours to state and demonstrate the 
nature of Christian love and charity ; their 
consistency with true zeal ; and the dis- 
tinction of the latter from false, persecu- 
ting, zeal. He then states his subject 
anew, as it respects the different divisions 
of Christians ; showing that their con- 
formity or want of conformity to univer- 
sal love, is to be drawn from the nature 
of their principles, and not from the prac- 
tice of particular persons among them. 
Thus much being premised, he examines 
the principles of several denominations, 
and finds them defective, and inconsist- 
ent with the principle of universal love ; 
as Papists, Protestants in general, and 
Socinians. Lastly, he lays down some 
principles of Christianity which perfect- 
ly agree with true universal love. The 



119 

reader may easily suppose that these are 
the principles held by Friends ; and he 
will find the piece to be an able recom- 
mendation of those principles, and an ex- 
position of them in an amiable light. An 
edition of this work was printed so late 
as 1800: but the first was in 1677, the 
year in which it was written, while its 
benevolent author was himself suffering 
from the want of universal love, being a 
prisoner at Aberdeen. 

The books which were written in re- 
ply to the Apology, have already been 
noticed. One of these, namely, « Qua- 
kerism the pathway to Paganism, 5 had 
been printed before the publication of 
the first English edition of the Apology; 
and was the means of prompting Robert 
Barclay to hasten that edition to the 
press, that the public might have the 
whole controversy before them. He af- 
terwards thought proper to give his ad- 
versary's book a more particular answer; 
which was published in the year 1679 
nnder the title of ' R. B.'s Apology for 



120 

4 the true Christian divinity vindicated 
4 from John Brown's examination and 
4 pretended confutation thereof, in his 
4 book called Quakerism the pathway to 
4 Paganism : in which vindication, John 
4 Brown's many gross perversions and 
4 abuses are discovered, and his furious 
4 and violent railings and revilings, so- 
4 berly rebuked.' It is common in con- 
troversy for authors to charge their op- 
ponents with railing ; and the reader 
may think that our author, in his title 
page, has adopted the practice. He, 
however, makes good his charge, in his 
introduction ; in which he says, L Men 
4 use to be sober and moderate that write 
4 controversies, in the beginning at least, 
4 and not seek to prepossess the reader 
4 with prejudice against their adversa- 
4 ries, until by the strength of their rea- 
4 son they have proved them to deserve 
4 it ; but this man is so full fraughted 
4 with malice, and so in love with railing, 
4 that he cannot forbear in the first page, 
4 where we have him calling us u Lo- 



121 

4C custs, of whose ministry the devil 
" makes use, only masculine in malice 
u against Christ — breathing forth no- 
< 4 thing but that putrid poison, that in- 
" nate serpentine venom," &c* This is 
a specimen of the spirit with which our 
early Friends had to contend. Though 
it must be confessed that some of them 
(whether from the provocation they re- 
ceived, or from sharp language being the 
temper of the times) were not entirely 
free from it themselves, yet the reader of 
Barclay's writings will scarcely think 
that he has fallen into that error. In the 
book in question, our author follows his 
adversary through the following divi- 
sions of the subject. 1. The true ground 
of knowledge. 2. Inward and immediate 
revelation. 3. The Scriptures. 4. Man's 

* The perusal of this excited a curiosity to look 
at Brown's epistle to the reader ; in which, the 
first words that took the attention, were ' Runa- 
4 gad Quaker,' and these were found to be the 
conclusion of the following string of epithets, 
i This God-daring, Christ-blaspheming, Spirit- 
< despiting generation, of the prodigiously pro- 
* fane and arrogant sect of Runagad Quakers'. 
L 



122 

natural state, and original sin. 5. Re- 
probation, and universal redemption. 6. 
Possibility of universal salvation ; uni- 
versal grace ; necessity of the light to 
salvation; the salvation of heathens. 7. 
Justification. 8. Perfection. 9. Perse- 
verance. 10. Ministry, wherein of Wo- 
mens' preaching. 11. Silent worship, 
&c. 12. Baptism. 13. The Lord's Sup- 
per. 14. Liberty of conscience. 15. 
Wars and oaths. 16. Civil honour, &c.^ 
This book, which is about the size of the 
Apology, has never been reprinted other- 
wise than in the two editions of Truth 
Triumphant ; and the book of Brown ha- 
ving long since fallen into general obli- 
vion, the c Vindication' is little read ; yet 
it contains that part of controversy which 
is the most useful part, the answering of 
objections ; and therefore may still be 
read with advantage. William Penn es- 
teemed it highly ; and says he ranks the 

* These numbers do not correspond with those 
of R. B.'s Sections, because there, § 1 is an intro- 
ductory one. 



123 

Apology and this book in the front of 
Barclay's polemical writings. Of such 
writings this was the last published by 
our author ; and it was not replied to by 
his angry adversary. 

There yet remain two tracts of Ro- 
bert Barclay to be noticed, the first of 
which he calls 4 An epistle of love and 
4 friendly advice to the ambassadors of 
4 the several princes of Europe, met at 
4 Nimeguen, to consult the peace of 
4 Christendom, so far as they are con- 
4 cerned ; wherein the true cause of the 
4 present War is discovered, and means 
4 for a firm and settled peace is proposed, 
4 by R. Barclay, a lover and travailer 
4 for the peace of Christendom.' This is 
a most instructive piece. Its object is 
to show the ground of war, and that 
means for promoting peace, while these 
grounds remain, are likely to be unstable 
and ineffectual : at the same time point- 
ing the way by which a lasting peace may 
prevail. It has the following postscript. 
4 This came upon me from the Lord, to 



124 

* write unto you, at Ury in my native 
; country of Scotland, the 2d of the 
c month called November, 1677.' Though 
it is long for a letter, and probably was 
not read by all the statesmen to whom it 
was addressed, it is short for a treatise. 
The tract, however, is full and clear; 
and it is hoped that this brief recom- 
mendation may induce the reader to give 
it a serious perusal. The letter was ori- 
ginally written in Latin; and afterwards 
translated and published for the satisfac- 
tion of such as could not read the origi- 
nal. To the translation, printed 1679, 
the following historical memoir is sub- 
joined. 4 Copies of the foresaid epistle, 
4 in Latin, were, upon the 23d and 24th 
4 days of the month called February, 
4 1678, delivered at Nimeguen, to the 
4 ambassadors of the emperor, of the 
4 kings of Great Britain, Spain, and 
4 France, Sweden, and Denmark, of the 
1 prince elector Palatine, as also of the 
4 states general, and of the dukes of Lor- 
4 rain, Holstein, Lunenburg, Osnaburg 5 



125 

* Hanover, and the pope's nuncio ; to 
i wit one to each ambassador, and one to 
1 each oftheirprincipals; together with so 
c many copies of the book, of which the 
c author makes mention in theletter, the 
4 title whereof is " Roberti Barclaii, the- 
u ologse verse Christians Apologia; Car- 
u olo secundo, Magnse Britannise, &c. 
" regi, oblata."^ This was the Latin title 
of the Apology, which was enlarged, as 
we have seen, in the English edition. 

Robert Barclay's last printed work 
was the translation of a long Latin letter, 
which he had some years before written 
to a person of quality in Holland, on the 
following occasion. The person in que- 
tion was Adrian Paets. Robert Bar- 
clay, having had some conversation with 
him respecting the principles of Friends, 
was requested by Paets to reconsider the 
strength of the arguments which he had 

*Robert Barclay's Apology for true Christian 
Divinity, presented to Charles 2d, king of Great 
Britain, Sec. 

L 2 



126 

adduced against Barclay's doctrine. 
This Barlay accordingly did; and find- 
ing them weaker the more he examined 
them, he wrote from his prison at Aber- 
deen, the letter to Paets. Some years af- 
terwards he met with Paets again, in 
London,^ who, after some further con- 
versation, confessed 4 that he had been 
4 mistaken in his notion of the Quakers ; 
* for he found they could make a reason- 
4 able plea for the foundation of their re- 
4 ligion.' Shortly after, our author trans- 
lated and published his letter in English, 
giving it this title ; 4 The possibility and 
4 necessity of the inward and immediate 
4 revelation of the Spirit of God, towards 
4 the foundation and ground of true faith, 
4 proved : in a letter writ in Latin to a 
4 person of quality in Holland ; and now 
4 also put into English, by R. B.' This 
letter is wholly argumentative ; and it 

* Paets was then a Commissioner for the 
Dutch East India Company. When Barclay saw 
him before, he had just returned from an embas-, 
sy to Spain, from the States General. 



127 

has been considered by those who have 
read it with attention, as one of the au- 
thor's most accurate pieces. It has 
much of a metaphysical cast, and is ra- 
ther calculated for the learned and the 
nice discerner, than for the ignorant and 
simple ; and was probably, on that ac- 
count, the more acceptable to the person 
to whom it was addessed, and the more 
impressive. 

The works of Robert Barclay 
were collected after his decease, and 
published in 1692, in a folio volume, en- 
titled * Truth Triumphant, through the 
4 Spiritual warfare, Christian labours, 
4 and writings, of that able and faithful 
4 servant of Jesus Christ, Robert Bar- 
4 clay.' It is still occasionally to be 
met with. An edition in three volumes 
octavo, came out in 1718 ; but this is 
now very scarce. Should, however, the 
first and third volume be procured, an 
Apology completes the set. The En- 
glsh Apology itself has been printed 



128 

eight times* in London. Accordingly 
the London edition of 1780 is called 
the eighth. But there has been also a 
Dublin edition, and one in large quarto 
by Baskerville at Birmingham. There 
is a Dutch translation, of which there are 
two editions ; one in Danish ; one in 
German, of which there are three edi- 
tions ; one in Spanish, and two in 
French. The French one of 1702 is 
said to be so ill done as to mislead. 
That of 1797 may be depended on ; but 
in any difficult case the Latin is the best 
means of deciding, f Of the Latin, a 
second edition was published in octavo, 
1729, said to be ' priore emendation' 

* Unless the first edition may be excepted, on 
account of the place where it was printed not be- 
ing mentioned. 

t In the First Edition pa. 161, the 4th pa. 243, 
the 6th pa. 248, there is a remarkable error un- 
der Prop. 8. Perfection, § 2. 4thlv, viz. Who 
have not attained to everlasting life, instead of, 
Who have attained, Sec. — Latin, Qui adepti sunt. 
The same error is in Truth Triumphant, folio, 
pa. 388, in the German, of 1740, and in the 
French edition of 1702, p. 276. The passage is 



129 

Of the Catechism there is one Latin 
edition still extant. The last English 
edition in 1787, is the 12th. Of the 
Anarchy of the Ranters, and Universal 
Love, it has been already mentioned that 
there are editions extant. 



That it would be gratifying to the 
writer of the foregoing account of the 
works of Robert Barclay, to know it 
hadbeehthe means of increasing the num- 
ber of their readers, is of small impor- 
tance ; but if, byreading them, or a part 
of them, any persons should be induced 
to adopt and put in practice the truths 
which Barclay recommends, the resultto 
themselves may be both important and 
happy. 

The mind, especially when not much 
accustomed to dwell on religious consi- 

right in the 5th, 7th, and 8th, Lond. and in Bas- 
kerville's, also in the German of 1684 and 1776, 
the Dutch of 1757, the French of 1797, and in the 
Spanish. An opportunity of examining the 2d 
and 3d, or the 8vo Edition of Truth Triumphant, 
has not occurred. 



130 

derations, is not always disposed to ad- 
vert to serious subjects. Sometimes-, 
however, and particularly in youth, there 
are seasons when anxiety respecting the 
concerns of a future life will prevail; 
and disturb the joy, which the pursuit, 
and the acquirement, of the pleasant 
things of time are wont to afford. 

Happy is it, that these interruptions 
are experienced : for they bring into 
view greater and more permanent plea- 
sures. On such occasions, religion 
comes for the purpose of bringing balm 
to the soul, and of alleviating its bur- 
thens ; not to increase its oppressions. 

The restraints of a religious life are 
indeed sometimes irksome ; though prin- 
cipally, at the entrance, and less so as we 
proceed; but in proportion as the mind 
is willing to suffer a sense of its 
weaknesses and wants to remain upon it, 
without seeking relief from dissipation, 
(taking that word in its least offensive 
meaning,) it will the less feel those res- 
traints to be irksome, because it will 



131 

know them to be the harbingers of more 
perfect freedom. 

In this state of mind a review of the 
experience of those who have more 
largely tasted both of the bitterness and 
the sweetness of a religious life, who 
have borne the cross, and felt the conso- 
lation, of Christianity, will, at times, be 
a delightful recreation. Among the 
number of these cheering and instructive 
examples, may be considered that of the 
man, whose religious labours have been 
exhibited in this volume. Though Ro- 
bert Barclay deals more in argument, 
than in narrative, yet his writings con- 
tain much encouragement to sincere 
hearted persons, travelling through the 
temptations of time, to the rewards of 
eternity. 

These writings also deserve peculiar 
commendation on this account, that they 
bear strong and ample testimony to 
Christ, — the sure refuge of the weary 
soul. The most feeble persevering 
Christian may be animated with the 



132 

hope of reaching that sure refuge, when 
he reflects, that his Lord hath declared 
to the least, as well as to the greatest 
servant in his family, " Him that cometh 
" to me, I will in no wise cast out." 



FINIS. 



B. Johnson, Printer, 



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